I will check into the legal center that is being mentioned. As far as fraud being commited, I don’t think that fraud was intended from the start, but if receiveing rent and not paying the mortgage constitutes fraud, then yes, that is happening.
My guess is that like many amateur flippers this guy bought with the hope that the place would appreciate in price. Once he realized that was a lost dream he decided to cut bait and let the place sink into foreclosure.