Three Defendants Plead Guilty in Multi-Million Dollar Pandemic Assistance Fraud Scheme

DETROIT - Three Macomb County residents have pleaded guilty to conspiring to execute a multi-million-dollar Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) fraud scheme, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr.

Joining in the announcement were Acting Special Agent in Charge Reuben Coleman, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey, United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations.

Rita Shaba, 39, of Macomb and Samer Kammo, 45 of Shelby Township pleaded guilty today before Judge Jonathan J.C. Grey to conspiring to commit wire fraud and bank fraud.

Christina Anasi, 35, of Shelby Township, previously pleaded guilty to the conspiracy.

According to court records, the defendants caused fraudulent PPP applications to be submitted for several business entities. Those applications misrepresented payroll information for the business entities and falsely certified that PPP loan funds would be used for permissible business-related purposes. The defendants also 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.

The Paycheck Protection Program was created by Congress to provide assistance to businesses harmed by the economic dislocations caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

U.S. Attorney Gorgon stated, “While the numbers fraudsters used to illicitly 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.”

“Today’s guilty plea reaffirms that those who exploit government programs intended to assist the American people during a national crisis, will be held fully accountable under federal law,” said Reuben Coleman, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “Rita Shaba stole from hardworking taxpaying citizens and struggling businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic, essentially eroding the trust placed in critical relief efforts designed by the U.S. Government. I want to thank our FBI Macomb County Resident Agency, and our law enforcement partners for their diligent work to ensure that bad actors face the full consequences of their criminal actions.”

“This money was designed to support businesses and help them navigate the pandemic, instead these defendants used it to enrich themselves and deprive honest businesses of much needed assistance,” said ICE HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “By now the writing is on the wall that if you stole money during the pandemic, it’s only a matter of time before law enforcement is knocking at your door.”

Shaba will be sentenced by Judge Grey on January 5, 2026. Anasi’s sentencing is set for January 7, 2026 and Kammo will be sentenced on January 15, 2026. The defendants each face a maximum sentence of up to 30 years’ imprisonment.  

This case was investigated by special agents of the FBI and ICE HSI Detroit and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Yahkind.