Former business partners of Melde Rutledge, the elusive source of surety bonds linked with his partners to controversial practices, claim that their association with him ended in the summer of 2012. At that time, they claim, Rutledge allegedly engaged in fraudulent bonding activity and forged the signature on bond documents of Diamond Indemnity Trust principal Darius X. Johnson.
Rutledge, believed to be a resident of West Palm Peach, Fla., and his attorney could not be reached for comment.
Diamond Indemnity notably declined to provide assistance to New York subcontractor American Architectural Inc. to prevent its failure on six New York City contracts bonded through the surety. American Architectural Inc. filed for bankruptcy in late 2012 while working on projects involving the World Trade Center and the New York Historical Society.