In the following press release Timothy M. Morrison, United States Attorney, Southern District of Indiana announced that Brian L. Nehrig, 43, Indianapolis, Indiana, has been charged with mail fraud. The charges are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The charging document alleges that Nehrig was employed as a lawyer with a law firm who contracted with CitiMortgage to do foreclosure work. Nehrig’s duties were to attend sheriff’s sales and place minimum price bids according to CitiMortgage’s authorization for its properties in foreclosure. If all worked properly, third-party bidders could bid for the properties and, if sold for more than the minimum price, Nehrig would send CitiMortgage the funds from the sale. In this case, Nehrig placed an inflated minimum bidding price for many of the properties at the sheriff’s sale. He then completed sales of the properties with third parties with whom he was associated without CitiMortgage’s knowledge and permission. Nehrig hid the conduct from CitiMortgage by sending CitiMortgage a check for its minimum price plus $1, making CitiMortgage believe its property had sold at the sheriff’s sale in an arm’s length transaction. The charging document alleges that the difference between the funds sent to CitiMortgage and the actual funds received by the deals was $106,122.

Editor Note:

The Information contains reference to 32 Indiana properties said to be involved in the fraud:
128 N 5th Ave, Beech Grove
55 N 10th Ave, Beech Grove
26 N Delphi Rd, Rossville
1868 Roosevelt Dr, Greenfield
216 Rural, Indianapolis
2629 Dellwood Dr, Fort Wayne
4770 S 900 E, Greentown
10426 Lincoln Walnut, Walton
3242 N Coloroda Ave, Indianapolis
5101 Crittenden Ave, Indianapolis
1545 Olive St, Indianapolis
2775 Kentucky Ave, Columbus
301 Graceland, Claypool
1430 N Mount St, Indianapolis
4018 N Sheridan, Indianapolis
28 E Ridge St, Brazil
2125 Jason Dr, Lebanon
1421 Rembrandt St, Indianapolis
208 E Plum St, Anderson
1147 S Tudor, Indianapolis
318 Maple St, Decatur
440 W 70th Street, Indianapolis
11060 E 200 N, Sheridan
6744 W 200 S, Huntington
111 Rainbow Blvd, Indianapolis
1133 N Elder Ave, Indianapolis
1614 Wilber St, South Bend
1192 Odell, Greenwood
7347 N Co Rd 700, Fairland
4511 Denilworth St, Fortwayne

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Gayle L. Helart, who is prosecuting the case for the government, NEHRIG faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. An initial hearing will be scheduled before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. Nehrig is no longer an attorney.

An information is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.