Critical Art Ensemble's Steve Kurtz is Cleared of Mail and Wire Fraud Charges

Critical Art Ensemble's Steve Kurtz is Cleared of Mail and Wire Fraud Charges Artist and University of Buffalo Professor Steve Kurtz was cleared of charges for mail and wire fraud today in federal court. U.S. District Judge Richard Arcara ruled that criminal charges brought against him by federal prosecutors were “insufficient on[their] face.” Kurtz’s College Street home in Buffalo, New York was raided by FBI agents wearing spacey-looking white biohazard suits only hours after his wife, Hope, died of a heart attack in May of 2004. Buffalo police who responded to Kurtz’s 911 call alerted the FBI that they’d found bacteria cultures and other strange items in the house. Kurtz had obtained the cultures and other biological materials for use in his artwork that criticized the government’s food policies.