(WWJ) -- The U.S. Justice Department is charging three metro Detroiters, along with 14 others, in connection with an $11 million fraud scheme.
The scam involved obtaining money for personal use from loans submitted through the Paycheck Protection Program.
27-year-old Charmaine Redding of Macomb, 52-year-old Ricky Dixon of Warren and 56-year-old Derek Parker of Rochester Hills allegedly used fraudulent tax returns to receive small business loans.
After obtaining the loans — which were distributed by the Small Business Administration to help employers pay workers during the COVID-19 pandemic — the defendants are accused of disguising the way the money was spent.
Instead of paying employees, the funds are said to have been used to purchase high-end goods, such as luxury vehicles and jewelry.
If convicted, the three metro Detroit residents could end up behind bars for decades.
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