By Attorney General Dana Nessel
LANSING – Roy Lee Holt, 58, of Harper Woods, was sentenced on May 22 by Judge Kiefer Cox in the 3rd Circuit Court in Wayne County to 2 to 15 years’ incarceration for fraudulently obtaining more than $60,000 in COVID-19 relief funds and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Holt was ordered to pay $63,865 in restitution. Holt was convicted by a Wayne County jury in April of:
- Two counts of False Pretenses $20,000-$50,000;
- One count of False Pretense $1,000-$20,000;
- Two counts of Using a Computer to Commit a Crime; and
- One Count of Making/Permitting a False Tax Return.
To obtain two PPP loans in 2021, Holt submitted a fraudulent bank statement and made other false representations regarding his business operations. He also submitted additional fraudulent misrepresentations to have those loans forgiven. Each PPP loan Holt received was for $20,832 totaling over $41,000.
Holt also received $19,880 in COVID Emergency Rental Assistance (CERA) funds after submitting falsified and altered documentation to the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA). The CERA program, administered by MSHDA, was designed to support Michigan residents struggling with rent and utilities due to pandemic-related financial hardships.
At the time this fraud was committed, Holt was a Veterans Affairs employee. The Attorney General’s enforcement operation was conducted in close collaboration with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General (VA OIG) and MSHDA.
“Those who defraud these programs cheat taxpayers out of their hard-earned money and strip resources away from those truly in need,” said Attorney General Nessel at the time of the defendant’s conviction. “I am grateful to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, MSHDA, and the prosecutors in my office who secured this conviction. We will continue to prosecute those who exploit government aid programs.”
“Cases like this are rare, but we take them seriously and pursue them fully,” said Amy Hovey, CEO and Executive Director of MSHDA, at the time of the defendant’s conviction. “This conviction reflects strong coordination with our state and federal partners to hold bad actors accountable.”
“The VA OIG is dedicated to protecting taxpayer dollars and ensuring the integrity of government assistance programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Gregory Billingsley of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Central Field Office at the time of the defendant’s conviction. “We will vigorously investigate any VA employee who attempts to obtain government funds through fraudulent actions. The VA OIG is grateful to the Michigan Attorney General for their efforts in this joint investigation.”
The investigation and prosecution of this case was pursuant to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) executed between the Department of Attorney General and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority to investigate and prosecute the fraudulent stealing of housing funds. The MOU is set to expire December 31, 2026, unless renewed by MSHDA.