Oak Park accountant Donald Felton Sr., who was indicted June 19 for aiding and abetting mortgage fraud, is also facing the loss of two family-owned properties through court action.
A call to Felton’s home phone went unanswered although a machine switched on after 10 rings asking for a remote access code. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. May said Wednesday he had been contacted by an attorney representing Felton, and May expected Felton to be in court at the Dirksen Federal Building the morning of July 1 to be arraigned.
Meanwhile, the business Felton started in Oak Park in 2001 was sued this April for back rent totaling $13,100. On May 5, an order of possession was issued by a Cook County Chancery Court judge, following a March foreclosure order, on a property owned by Donald and Maria Delaluz Felton at 8222 S. Southshore in Chicago. That property had two liens against it totaling over $12,000 in addition to two mortgages totaling over $300,000.
Maria D. Felton worked as a cashier and kitchen assistant at Oak Park and River Forest High School this past school year.
On June 19, the same day he was indicted in federal court, the Bank of New York filed suit in Cook County Chancery Court against the Feltons seeking foreclosure on their home at 304 S. Clinton Ave. Included as defendants in that suit are Donald Felton and two aliases, and Mary Felton and an alias.
According to the complaint to foreclose their mortgage, the Feltons are in default because of not having paid “any principal, interest, insurance or other escrow items” since last August. Interest on the outstanding $158,293 balance is accruing at a rate of $27.65 a day.
Besides their Oak Park home, the Feltons own a property at 2013 Bingham St. in Chicago that is used by their son, Donald Jr.
Court records show the Feltons’ legal problems are not limited to past-due mortgages. In April, General Motors Corp. won a $36,164 judgment for the return of a vehicle from Maria Felton. In March, Mercedes-Benz of Orland Park sued Felton under “detinue,” which means she is alleged to be wrongfully holding or retaining their property. She is also being sued by Fifth Third Bank for nearly $34,000 in a contract dispute.
