Calhoun County landlord pleads guilty, pays restitution for fraudulently obtained COVID funds

Greyson Steele, Battle Creek Enquirer
·2 min read
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LANSING — The Calhoun County Prosecutor's Office, in conjunction with the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) and the Battle Creek Police Department, has successfully prosecuted a landlord for committing fraud with an MSHDA tenant and landlord assistance program.

Landlord Shane Sampson admitted to providing false information to MSHDA staff on multiple program applications and fraudulently obtaining $8,850 from the COVID Emergency Rental Assistance (CERA) program, according to an MSHDA press release.

Sampson recently pleaded guilty to the charges and paid restitution, closing out the case.

"I am committed to prosecuting instances of fraud in Calhoun County, especially as it relates to COVID relief funds," Calhoun County Prosecutor David Gilbert said in a statement. "I am glad to work with state and local partners on this important issue and see restitution paid to the state."

Calhoun County's Prosecutor David Gilbert attends a press conference concerning the discovery of remains believed to be Amber Griffin's body in the area of Limit Street and Waubascon Road in Battle Creek on Thursday, March 3, 2022.
Calhoun County's Prosecutor David Gilbert attends a press conference concerning the discovery of remains believed to be Amber Griffin's body in the area of Limit Street and Waubascon Road in Battle Creek on Thursday, March 3, 2022.

The CERA program, now closed to new applicants, was established to assist Michigan residents with rental arrears, due to financial hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. From March 13, 2021, to the present, MSHDA has processed 305,807 CERA applications and provided more than $978.2 million in aid to help Michigan families avoid eviction while also ensuring landlords could recoup owed rent, according to the release.

“This program has provided much-needed peace of mind to renters and landlords. It’s unfortunate anyone would try to fraudulently take funds away from those that needed it to catch up on their rent and utility costs and maintain housing stability,” MSHDA Executive Director Amy Hovey said in the release. “We take our stewardship of CERA program funds seriously and have dedicated teams of investigators who pursue all allegations of fraud, waste, or abuse within the program. Through the efforts of the CERA fraud investigation unit, MSHDA was able to recover program funds obtained illegally by this landlord and will work with our partners across the state to root out fraud, waste, and abuse with any of our MSHDA programs.”

The public is encouraged to report any suspected fraud, waste, or abuse in any MSHDA housing programs to the MSHDA fraud hotline at 517-335-9953 or online using the MSHDA fraud complaint form at michigan.gov/mshda/about/performance/how-to-report-fraud.

Contact reporter Greyson Steele at gsteele@battlecreekenquirer.com

This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Landlord pleads guilty, pays restitution for fraudulently obtained COVID funds