Home fraud ring restitution

Judge orders Parish fraud ring to pay victims

October 9, 2008

A federal judge in Minneapolis handed down the final sentence involving the Parish Marketing mortgage fraud case on Thursday, ordering the now-imprisoned perpetrators to repay their victims.
U.S. District Judge Ann Montgomery ruled that five people convicted in the case -- Michael Parish and his wife, Ardith Parish, son-in-law Christopher Troup, Kristopher Robbins and Melissa Smith -- are responsible for almost $5.5 million in restitution.
They will pay the majority of that amount after they are released from prison, although they'll also repay modest amounts from what they earn doing prison jobs, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Dixon.
After serving time, each will be responsible to pay at least $150 per month.
The money will be paid to victims who have made claims to the U.S. Probation Office. Those victims include unpaid contractors, homeowners and others. Thursday was the last day for victims to file for restitution, Dixon said, but they can still file lawsuits to recover lost money.
Parish Marketing accounted for $20 million to $50 million in losses. It recruited straw buyers to secure mortgages on expensive homes that Parish built, then its executives pocketed the mortgage proceeds or used them to pay other straw buyers. The homes were built primarily in New Market, New Prague and Lonsdale.
Michael Parish, the architect of the scheme, was sentenced in July to 13 years in prison. Ardith Parish was sentenced to five years. Troup received 10 years, Robbins two years, and Smith one year and one day.