Property sale scandal: US Attorney arrested over alleged forged signature
By Dally Iyamu
An American attorney, Tom McCormick, has been arrested on two felony charges after he allegedly forged a prosecutor’s signature on documents relating to the cash sale of a mobile home to his mother-in-law.
McCormick was charged with filing false public records and forgery, according to arrest documents obtained by the I-TEAM.
His wife, Candy McCormick, was also booked on Tuesday evening on a felony forgery charge in connection with the case.
The investigation centres on a mobile home located on a street in Plaquemine, a rural area of Iberville Parish.
Property records show that McCormick appeared as a witness to an act of cash sale involving his wife, Candy, as the seller, and her mother, Gina Verret, as the purchaser.
However, investigators allege that McCormick forged the signature of an attorney who was listed on the sale documents.
According to an arrest warrant, the attorney whose name appeared on the document told investigators that he knew Thomas McCormick from their time working together at the Attorney General’s Office, but had not seen McCormick or his wife for about six years.
The attorney, identified by his initials as “M.D.” in the arrest documents, reportedly told investigators that the signature on the document was definitely not his.
The Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office began investigating the property transaction several weeks ago.
Investigators also visited the McCormicks’ residence in an attempt to speak with Candy McCormick, but no one answered the door.
They also went to the home of Verret, who reportedly purchased the property, but received no response.
The case has drawn additional attention because of McCormick’s previous conviction.
McCormick was sentenced last year after being convicted of money laundering at the end of 2024. He was ordered to pay $214,000 in restitution to the state fire marshal’s office.
He and another man, Robert McCormick, were convicted of using connections within the state fire marshal’s office to purchase emergency supplies at low prices and subsequently resell them to the state at significantly higher prices.
A judge sentenced the men to probation and ordered them to repay an amount that was less than the proceeds made from the resale scheme.
The sentence prompted District Attorney Tony Clayton to appeal, arguing that there should be consistency in the treatment of defendants within the judicial system.
“It’s incumbent upon me to make sure that everyone that comes through this judicial system is treated consistently. There has to be some consistency,” Clayton said.
McCormick’s bond was set at $15,000 for the two felony charges. However, he was also placed on a probation hold when he was booked.
The probation hold must be lifted by a judge before he can post bail. As of the time of the report, no hearing date had been scheduled, meaning McCormick remained unable to secure his release on bond.
