US: Top executive at US mortgage giant kills himself: reports
22 Apr 2009 10:21 PM
WASHINGTON, April 22 AFP/AP - A top of executive of the troubled US mortgage finance giant Freddie Mac was found dead in his Washington area home Wednesday of an apparent suicide, local media reported.
David Kellermann, acting Chief Financial Officer and a senior vice president of Freddie Mac, was found by his wife in their northern Virginia home, WUSA television and WTOP radio reported.
Police spokeswoman Mary Anne Jennings told WTOP that officers went to the Kellermann home after family members called them around 5am (local time).
"We were called from inside the house to come investigate an apparent suicide," Jennings said.
Kellermann's death is the latest blow to Freddie Mac, a government controlled company that owns or guarantees about 13 million home loans. CEO David Moffett resigned last month.
Virginia-based Freddie Mac and sibling company Fannie Mae, which together own or back more than half of the home mortgages in the country, have been hobbled by skyrocketing loan defaults and have received about $US60 billion ($A84.51 billion) in combined federal aid.
Kellermann was named acting chief financial officer in September 2008, after the resignation of Anthony "Buddy" Piszel, who stepped down after the September 2008 government takeover.
The chief financial officer is responsible for the company's financial controls, financial reporting and oversight of the company's budget and financial planning.
Before taking that job, Kellerman served as senior vice president, corporate controller and principal accounting officer. He was with Freddie Mac for more than 16 years.
