Mohammad "Mike" Taghie Kakvand, 54, Park Ridge, Illinois, the ringleader in a mortgage scheme that resulted in abandoned Chicago apartment buildings, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. Kakvand was charged in a nine-count indictment alleging that he bought 33 apartment buildings on the South Side of Chicago, did not renovate them, but sold them as condominium units as greatly inflated prices. Straw buyers were used, and $29 million in loans went into default.

Kakvand has been in custody since late 2005, when he was arrested in Canada after being on the run for more than a year. Kakvand was stopped for a speeding violation, and when his driver's license was run authorities discovered he was wanted by the FBI.

Also charged in the scheme were Syed Ali Mohammed Razvi, a fugitive, and real estate appraisers Thomas M. Groh, Eric L. Dorsey and Britt J. Pierre, who have already pleaded guilty.

The properties involved are:

6963-69 North Ashland Ave, Chicago, Illinois

7309-11 North Ashland Ave, Chicago, Illinois

1949-51 West Birchwood Ave, Chicago, Illinois

6201-03 South Champlain Ave, Chicago, Illinois

639-41 East 62nd Street, Chicago, Illinois

1606-08 West Chase Ave, Chicago, Illinois

1810-24 West Chase Ave, Chicago, Illinois

6940 South Dorchester Ave, Chicago, Illinois

7316-18 South Dorchester Ave, Chicago, Illinois

7700-04 South Essex Ave, Chicago, Illinois

2451 East 77th Street, Chicago, Illinois

1633-35 West Estes Ave, Chicago, Illinois

6157-59 South Evans Ave, Chicago, Illinois

740 East 62nd Street, Chicago, Illinois

7201-03 South Evans Ave, Chicago, Illinois

741-43 East 72nd Street, Chicago, Illinois

1324 West Greenleaf Ave, Chicago, Illinois

2423 West Greenleaf Ave, Chicago, Illinois

7633-39 North Greenview Ave, Chicago, Illinois

7311-13 North Honore Street, Chicago, Illinois

1600 West Jarvis Ave, Chicago, Illinois

7749-53 South Kingston Ave, Chicago, Illinois

6752 North Lakewood Ave, Chicago, Illinois

5922-24 South Michigan Ave, Chicago, Illinois

12130 South Normal Ave, Chicago, Illinois

7647 South Phillips Ave, Chicago, Illinois

4843-45 South Prairie Ave, Chicago, Illinois

5037-39 South Prairie Ave, Chicago, Illinois

5326-28 South Prairie Ave, Chicago, Illinois

1301 West Pratt Blvd, Chicago, Illinois

6752 North Lakewood Ave, Chicago, Illinois

7527-31 North Sheridan Rd, Chicago, Illinois

3215 West Sunnyside Ave, Chicago, Illinois

4400-02 South Vincennes Ave, Chicago, Illinois

4510-12 West Washington Blvd, Chicago, Illinois

7407 North Winchester Avenue, Chicago, Illinois