Nine Metro Detroit residents are facing federal charges in different multi-million dollar fraud schemes targeting pandemic relief and assistance.
The charges were announced the United States Attorney’s Office Eastern District of Michigan.
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Pandemic relief fraud
Six Metro Detroit residents are being charged for their alleged roles in a $6 million fraud scheme targeting multiple pandemic relief programs. These people were charged in an indictment with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft
- Deangelo Jackson-Portwood, 40, of Livonia
- Anton Greenwood, 37, of Detroit
- Adartha Tillman, 39, of Eastpointe
- Christopher Lindsay, 36, of Detroit
- Taurean Davis, 41, of Detroit
- Maurice Brown-Portwood, 33, of Van Buren Township
According to the indictment, the defendants caused fraudulent unemployment insurance claims, fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan applications, and fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan applications to be submitted for numerous individuals and business entities.
Those applications are alleged to have misrepresented applicant information, including the identity of the applicant and eligibility for relief. Many of the applications were submitted in the names of identity theft victims. According to court records, the defendants received over $6 million in fraudulently obtained funds as a result of the scheme.
The defendants face up to twenty years in prison based on the wire fraud conspiracy charge and a consecutive two years in prison for the aggravated identity theft charge.
Pandemic assistance fraud
Three Macomb County residents are being charged for their alleged roles in a multimillion-dollar Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) fraud scheme.
Rita Shaba, 37, of Macomb and Samer Kammo, 43 of Shelby Township were charged in an indictment with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud; wire fraud; bank fraud; false statements in connection with a bank loan; and, aggravated identity theft.
Christina Anasi, 33, of Shelby, was charged in a related criminal complaint with the same offenses, as well as money laundering.
According to the indictment and complaint, the defendants caused fraudulent PPP applications to be submitted for several business entities. Those applications are alleged to have misrepresented payroll information for the business entities and falsely certified that PPP loan funds would be used for permissible business-related purposes.
The defendants are also alleged to have caused fictitious payroll, health insurance, bank, and tax records to be submitted in connection with the PPP loan applications. According to court records, the defendants received over $3 million in fraudulent PPP loan funds. To date, law enforcement has seized and recovered over $2.1 million of those funds. Anasi is also alleged to have engaged in unemployment insurance fraud.
The defendants face up to twenty years in prison based on the wire fraud and wire fraud conspiracy charges, and they face a maximum of thirty years in prison on the bank fraud and bank fraud conspiracy charges. Each of the defendants face consecutive two-year prison sentences for aggravated identity theft.