NEWARK, N.J. — Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark partnered in a joint investigation that resulted in eight men charged for their alleged roles in a conspiracy to steal luxury cars in New Jersey, New York, and elsewhere, and transport them across state lines.
Their charges were announced by the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey in Newark Nov. 7.
“These charges are a testament to the success collaboration brings to our ongoing investigations into car thefts in New Jersey,” said HSI Newark acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas. “The astonishing list of partners throughout the region that participated in this investigation demonstrate the incredible reach we have when our resources are aligned. HSI Newark will continue to investigate car thefts to protect residents, and create safer, more resilient communities.”
Ahmad Franks, aka “Mahdi,” 24; Shaquan White, aka “QBandz,” aka “Q Bands,” 23; Nathan Braswell, aka “Troub,” 20; Ibn Bellamy, aka “YC,” 24; Zamir Wright, aka “GBz,” 20, all of Newark; Ryan Bowen, aka “Prob,” 26; Khyree Lawrence, aka “6,” 20, both of East Orange, New Jersey; and Mohammed Buhari, aka “Sakina,” 45, of Woodbridge, Virginia; are all charged by complaint with conspiring to receive, possess, or sell stolen vehicles in interstate commerce.
Franks is also charged with five counts of possession of a stolen vehicle and one count of interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle. Bellamy is also charged with one count of possession of a stolen vehicle, and Buhari is charged with one count of sale, receipt, or possession of a stolen vehicle.
Bellamy and Lawrence were arrested Nov. 6 and made their initial appearance at the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey in Newark. The remaining defendants will appear later.
Buhari remains at large. The remaining defendants are already in custody on prior charges and will appear later.
“The defendants are charged with orchestrating a brazen conspiracy to steal high-end, luxury vehicles, targeting our community and profiting from their illegal activities,” said U.S. Attorney Sellinger. “These charges underscore our commitment to work with all of our law enforcement partners to protect the community from the variety of crimes committed by those who seek to enrich themselves unjustly by victimizing our residents.”
According to the investigation, in November 2021, law enforcement began investigating a series of high-end car thefts and learned that the eight defendants, and others conspired to possess, receive, conceal, sell, dispose, and/or transport high-value stolen cars in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and elsewhere. Some of the stolen cars were used during the commission of other crimes, including the theft of additional cars, shootings, and a homicide. From November 2021 to July 2022, Franks exchanged photographs of at least 400 known or suspected stolen cars with at least a dozen conspirators.
The 14 cars stolen by the defendants as alleged in the complaint have an estimated total value of at least $550,000.
Agencies HSI Newark partnered with in this case include Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office; the Newark Police Division; the New Jersey State Police; the Millburn Township Police Department; and the Fairfield Police Department. Additional support came from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the Port of New York/Newark, the FBI, the New York Police Department, the Port Authority Police Department, the Jersey City Police Department, the Tenafly Police Department, the East Brunswick Police Department, the Ridgewood Police Department, the Ramapo Police Department, the Spring Lake Police Department, the Paramus Police Department, the Woodbridge Police Department, the Edison Police Department, and the Nassau County Police Department.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @HSINewark to learn more about HSI’s global missions and operations.