Officials from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) came to a title agency office in Dexter, Mo., focusing on questionable circumstances concerning past Florida appraisals done for a Memphis-based minister according to the Sikeston Standard Democrat.
The Gill Group became the focus of HUD with regards to appraising multi-family dwellings. The newspaper reported that files were seen being loaded into a van from the premises in the early morning hours, with employees phoned before the work day started and told not to come to work.
The Gill Group appraised Florida and Memphis-based dwellings in the past that were owned by Rev. Richard Hamlet. Hamlet, a real estate developer, heads up two non-profits, one of which is called Global Ministries Foundation (GMF), the paper said.
When HUD officials arrived at the Gill offices, it was for the purpose of seizing all files related to the appraisals and any transactions conducted for Hamlet or in the name of Global Ministries, the paper reported. Investigations into Hamlet’s organizations further revealed that millions of dollars was shifted from the GMF-Preservation of Affordability Corporation housing non-profit to Hamlet’s own religious non-profit, it said.
Darryl Madden, HUD's Public Information Officer with the Office of Inspector General, told the paper that HUD officials were on site in Dexter.
“I can only confirm that we were on site and that a warrant was executed,” Madden stated.