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FBI Alleges Fraud In Troy Priest's Condo Purchase

TROY (AP) - Federal authorities are accusing a Detroit-area priest of fraud in the purchase of a condominium in Florida.

The government filed a lawsuit in Detroit federal court Monday to seize the Rev. Edward Belczak's condo in Wellington. The FBI says the $110,000 down payment came from a bank account belonging to St. Thomas More parish in Troy.

The Associated Press left a message seeking Belczak's current contact information from the Archdiocese of Detroit.

Belczak was removed from the church last year. He hasn't been changed with a crime, but the request to take control of property means there's a criminal investigation.

Belczak purchased the condo for $500,000 in 2005 from a church office manager. The FBI says the priest and office manager jointly held a bank account to make mortgage payments.

© Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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