WAYNE COUNTY, MI – A Harper Woods man was bound over to stand trial for allegedly fraudulently obtaining more than $60,000 in COVID-19 relief funds and Paycheck Protection Program loans, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced.
Roy Lee Holt, 57, waived his preliminary examination on Nov. 12 and was bound over to stand trial in Wayne County circuit court, according to a news release from the AG’s office.
Holt was charged in July with two counts of false pretenses ($20,000 to $50,000), one count of false pretenses ($1,000 to $20,000), two counts of using a computer to commit a crime and one count of making/permitting a false tax return.
The man allegedly sent a fraudulent bank statement to obtain PPP loans in 2021.
He is accused of receiving more than $41,000 in PPP loans, and an additional $19,880 in COVID Emergency Rental Assistance using allegedly falsified documents.
“Cases like this are rare, but we will never let them go unchallenged,” said Amy Hovey, CEO and executive director of MSHDA. “This investigation reflects the strong collaboration between state and federal partners to ensure that anyone who misuses housing resources, especially CERA funds that were intended for our most vulnerable residents, are brought to justice. Every program dollar we administer is critical to helping end our housing crisis, and MSHDA will continue to pursue these cases wherever they occur to protect the integrity of our work.”
Holt is scheduled to appear in Wayne County Circuit Court on Nov. 26.
“I would like to thank the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General and MSHDA for their assistance in this investigation,” Nessel said in a statement. “My office looks forward to continuing to pursue this matter in court to ensure those who defraud loan programs intended to help those in need are held accountable.”
Michigan man to face trial for allegedly defrauding more than $60K in pandemic relief funds
