New Orleans Man Indicted for Mortgage Fraud

THEODORE KURZ, age 70, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was charged by a federal grand jury in a three-count indictment for mortgage fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.

According to court documents, KURZ obtained mortgages for three properties through the State of Louisiana, Division of Administration, Office of Community Development.  He then forged mortgage cancellations that he filed with the Orleans Parish Clerk of Court to falsely make it appear that the loans had been satisfied.  KURZ then obtained mortgages through a different lender, falsely claiming that there were no outstanding mortgages or liens on the properties.

If convicted, KURZ faces 30 years of imprisonment and a $1,000,000 fine.   

U.S. Attorney Duane Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.  

U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in investigating this matter.  The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U. S. Attorney G. Dall Kammer, Deputy Chief of the Fraud Unit.