Macomb County residents plead guilty in COVID-19 fraud scheme

MACOMB COUNTY — Three Macomb County residents have pleaded guilty in what authorities say is a more than $3 million Paycheck Protection Program fraud scheme.

Rita Shaba, 39, of Macomb Township, and Samer Kammo, 45, of Shelby Township, pleaded guilty Aug. 26 to conspiring to commit wire fraud and bank fraud. Christina Anasi, 35, of Shelby Township, previously pleaded guilty to the conspiracy.

Authorities said the three defendants submitted fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program applications for several businesses. The applications misrepresented payroll information and falsely certified that the loan funds would be used for permissible business-related purposes. The defendants, according to authorities, also submitted fictitious payroll, health insurance, bank and tax records to support the loan applications.

The defendants, according to court records, received over $3 million in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan funds. At press time, law enforcement reportedly had seized and recovered more than $2.1 million of those funds.

U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon said that while the numbers the fraudsters used to enrich themselves were fake, the prison time they’re facing is very real.

“My office is committed to holding accountable all those who chose to exploit a global pandemic to steal from hardworking taxpayers,” he said in a prepared statement.

The Paycheck Protection Program was created by Congress to provide assistance to businesses harmed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Each of the defendants faces up to 30 years in prison. At press time, sentencing dates were set for early 2026 with Shaba on Jan. 5, Anasi on Jan. 7 and Kammo on Jan. 15. Attorneys for the defendants could not be reached for comment at press time.