Mississippi Former Mayor Facing Federal Charges

The Federal Government has filed a second indictment on former Mississippi Mayor Brent Warr and his wife Laura in the United States District Court. The have been charged with two counts of bank fraud and two counts of making false statements on a loan application.

The indictment states that Warr and his wife misrepresented their financial information on mortgage applications to secure loans through Coast Community Bank and Countrywide Home Loans Inc.

The mortgage loans that the Warrs received total approximately $474,000 and were taken out in October of 2003 and January of 2004.  The loan they received in 2004 was for a beachfront home.

The Warrs were also indicted on sixteen counts of insurance fraud in January stemming from Katrina. The charges involved the beachfront home which was destroyed when Katrina hit. The Warrs claimed the beachfront home as their primary residence; however, prosecutors contend that they were living in another home while the beach home was being renovated as the time Katrina hit. The Warrs obtained a federal homeowner grant and FEMA funds for the beachfront property. In addition, they reported more to Lexington Insurance more personal property losses than they actually incurred.