The former Bermuda Housing Corporation property officer charged with attempting to defraud the Government quango of $1.4 million is allegedly more than a year behind on mortgage payments for his luxury Tee Street home.

An originating summons has been filed against Terrence St. Patrick Smith and his wife Veronica Agatha Smith in the Supreme Court Registry by lawyer Justin Williams, on behalf of Capital G Bank Limited, the mortgagee ? piling yet more financial pressure on the controversial Mr. Smith.

When contacted yesterday, Mr. Williams would not comment on the matter, although sources close to the situation have confirmed Capital G is seeking to recoup mortgage payments which have reportedly been in arrears for close to a year and a half.

The legal action comes at a particularly bad time for Mr. Smith ? who was fired from BHC in the turbulent aftermath of the corruption scandal ? with his Supreme Court fraud trial set to begin on May 23.

He faces 49 separate charges of allegedly defrauding the quango out of $1,393,291 between September 20, 2000 and February 27 2002, after he allegedly falsely pretended BHC purchase orders were genuine to induce corporation staff to pay out cheques to carpenter Steven Barbosa.

Attempts to contact Mr. Smith at his home yesterday were unsuccessful, with the number listed in the telephone directory no longer in service.