The founder of a nonprofit stands trial today on criminal charges that he forged the names of dead people on property deeds in order to steal their houses.

Federal prosecutors have charged Duane McKinney, president of Brotherhood of Men Inc., with using the organization to steal 14 properties and sell nine of them for a gain of $770,000. Co-defendant Joe D. Liles, a notary public in Maryland, is accused of notarizing the dead people’s signatures.