U.S. v. John Wayne Perry, et al.

U.S. v. John Wayne Perry, et al

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Victims are to contact/call 1-844-625-9886 or email USANCW-VM2VW2@usa.doj.gov

United States v. Perry et al – Case Number 3:17CR215 Bill of Indictment filed July 19, 2017

United States v. Miranda Bailey – Case Number 3:17CR220 Bill of Information filed July 21, 2017

Charges have been filed against John Wayne Perry, Jr. 36; Rhonda Renee Scott, 52; Timothy Scott, Jr., 51; Paris Jontue Taylor, 37; and Rayshawn Lamont Tyler, 42, all of Charlotte, with mail and wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud offenses. Perry, Taylor and Tyler are also each charged with one count of money laundering conspiracy.

In a related case, Miranda Bailey, 29, of Charlotte, is charged separately with one count of wire fraud and mail fraud conspiracy. Miranda Bailey plead guilty on Wednesday, July 26, 2017.

The fraudulent debt collection company was known at various times as RJ Financial Services and/or Nationwide Asset and Recovery. company also utilized the following names in soliciting payment from victims:

Department of Fraud Investigations

Piedmont Investigations And Procurement

Global Investigations

Harling, Hill, Scott & Associates

ARS & Associates

Holland, Dempsey & Associates

Kinsey Cline & Associates

Kinsey Kline & Associates

Kennedy Clyne & Associates

Schuman Walker & Associates

Raffino Garrison & McCoy

Greenman Schwartz & Associates

Greenman, Schneider and Associates

Berman Maxwell & Associates

Express Payment Services

According to allegations contained in the indictment, from at least January 2013 to November 2014, the co-conspirators operated a fraudulent debt collection company in Mecklenburg County, known at various points as RJ Financial Services and/or Nationwide Asset & Recovery (RJ Financial, collectively). RJ Financial allegedly defrauded thousands of debtors throughout the United States of approximately $3 million. Court documents allege that the co-conspirators targeted individuals and generally executed their scheme to defraud by coercing purported debtors to pay money, some of which was not even owed, by providing false and misleading information and using harassing and abusive tactics.

According to the indictment, Perry and Rayshawn Tyler were leaders of the conspiracy, and owners and operators of RJ Financial. Paris Taylor was also a leader of the conspiracy and used aliases “Brittany Martin” or “London Taylor” when speaking with purported debtors. Co-defendant Timothy Scott served as the scheme’s Operations Manager. He also used different “shake” names, such as “Dean McCoy” and “George Raffino.” Co-defendant Rhonda Scott served as a team leader or supervisor and collector, and generally used aliases or the “shake” names “Ada Brown” and “Katlin Pierce,” when talking to purported debtors. Co-conspirator Bailey served as a collector and team leader in the conspiracy, and used the “shake” name “Savannah Grant.”

The indictment further alleges that when contacting purported debtors, RJ Financial collectors were instructed to follow scripts that included false and misleading information and various scare tactics to induce victims into paying moneys. For example, among the false and fraudulent representations in the script were that:

• The collector was calling “to investigate and possibly file 2 charges against you (the Debtor) in (Debtor’s local county court)” and that those charges included “Breach of contract or fraud” and “Malicious intent to defraud a financial institution.”

• “Federal law does require that I inform you that you do have the right to offer a counter offer; most defendants offer close to what they originally borrowed, plus the $300 civil penalty…assessed by the state….”

The indictment also alleges that in order to disguise the fraudulent nature of the business and scare purported debtors, the collectors:

• Frequently changed the name of the purported company they were working for when making calls so that victims would not be able to locate truthful information about the company

• In some instances, the collectors falsely represented that they were law firms, that they had attorneys on staff to consult, and/or that the collectors themselves were attorneys.

• At times, they falsely represented to be members of law enforcement or that they were working with or affiliated with law enforcement, sometimes going as far as to play a police scanner in the background.

• They used aliases, commonly known as “shake” names, when making the calls and fraudulently identified themselves as “investigators” purportedly calling on behalf of a “client.”

The indictment alleges RJ Financial also often engaged in other scare tactics to fraudulently induce purported debtors, including:

• Harassing family members and friends to get the purported debtor to call them and pay them.

• Threatening that imminent civil and/or criminal charges would be filed if the debtor did not make arrangements to pay during the call.

• Threatening that the victims would be served with arrest warrants, subpoenas, restraining orders, and garnishment of wages, if they did not make arrangements to pay during the call.

Each of the five defendants is charged with one count of engaging in a fraudulent debt collection conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and one count of wire fraud, which each carry a maximum prison term of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The money laundering conspiracy charge carries a maximum prison term of 20 years and carries a fine of $500,000 or twice the amount of the criminally derived proceeds.