CBS12 Waste Watch Cedric Thomas
Channel: actsofsedition
Date: 21/06/2012

RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. -- Palm Beach County has foreclosed on a taxpayer-subsidized home loan owned by Riviera Beach Councilman Cedrick Thomas.

The foreclosure suit cites Thomas' failure to pay the mortgage on a home on Ninth Street in Riviera Beach. The county filing also maintains Thomas violated a specific condition of his mortgage that he live in the house as his primary residence for the life of the loan.

The residency issue was what our CBS12 investigation uncovered earlier this year. Former tenants told us they started rented the home in 2010. Neighbors said lately they only saw Thomas come around to collect the rent.

We learned through records Thomas had moved to a gated community nearby in 2010. That new address is cited now in the county foreclosure suit.

When we confronted Thomas earlier this year he admitted renting the house, but said he just started doing it. And he said he was current on his loan.

County staffers told us that when we started asking questions, Thomas did show up with a check to make himself current on the loan and the county said Thomas promised them he'd move back into the home. But apparently that has not happened.

CBS12 has yet to hear back from Thomas.