Three people were charged Friday in U.S. District Court in St. Paul with an alleged scheme to defraud mortgage lenders related to the Chateau Ridge condominium development in Burnsville.

Daniel James Corley, Christine Elizabeth Creech and Brian Lei Nako allegedly found buyers for condo units, submitted false mortgage loan applications, secretly provided funds for down payments and closing costs, paid buyers and others in the transaction a kickback and obtained mortgage loans without disclosing the payments to lenders. The scheme allegedly occurred between October 2006 and December 2007.

The charges were contained in an information document filed by the U.S. attorney's office, which often indicates a guilty plea is expected.

In May, Jared M. Rothenberger, 43, was charged with allegedly conspiring to defraud mortgage lenders by finding straw buyers to apply for loans to buy units at Chateau Ridge, and arranging kickbacks for buyers and other participants between August 2006 and July 2007. In a plea agreement reached in September, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.

JANET MOORE