Eyewitness News has learned that at least a handful of contractors who did work with the city’s home remediation program run by New Orleans Affordable Homeownership have received subpoenas to appear and testify before a federal grand jury on August 21.

WWL-TV

Lee Zurik talks to a homeowner who says his home was not gutted by NOAH.

All of the contractors who did business with NOAH are expected to eventually receive subpoenas.

The subpoena asks the contractors to bring documents from August 29, 2005 to the present and it asks for documentation that includes all wire transfers, political contributions, bank signature cards, all money that went in and out of their business, and all correspondence and material with NOAH and the City of New Orleans.

Eyewitness News tried to contact the four contractors listed as the highest-paid from the home remediation program. They are: Trellis Smith, Richard Hall, Myers and Sons and Cedric Smith.

Trellis Smith was unavailable, but Eyewitness News has confirmed that a U.S. Marshal has been trying to locate him. The second-highest paid contractor – Richard Hall – did not answer phone calls. Attorney Richard Moore confirmed that Myers and Sons did receive a subpoena, though Moore said he was unclear about the details. Meanwhile Robert Jenkins, the attorney for Cedric Smith, said that as of 4:30 p.m., his client had not received a subpoena.

U.S. Attorney Jim Letten said he could not confirm or deny that any federal grand jury subpoenas have gone out.