Mortgage Fraud Scheme Victims Getting Help From Northwestern Professor And Chicago Reverend

CHICAGO (AP) -- A Chicago law clinic and a local activist are partnering to help people prosecutors say were victims of a massive reverse mortgage fraud.

Northwestern Pritzker School of Law's Bluhm Legal Clinic and the Rev. Robin Hood announced the partnership Monday.

They'll represent people who say they're victims of Chicago businessman Mark Diamond. Federal prosecutors have charged Diamond with defrauding more than 120 homeowners in a reverse mortgage scheme. He has pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutors say Diamond and a colleague swindled elderly homeowners, many of whom ended up losing their homes. The homeowners were largely African-Americans who lived on Chicago's west and south sides.

Juliet Sorenson is director of the legal clinic. She says they'll represent victims in foreclosure and evictions proceedings that arose from the fraud.

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