A former employee of Bremer Bank was charged Wednesday in a federal indictment with 15 counts of fraud, conspiracy and false document charges arising out of the investigation of a massive mortgage fraud run by Parish Marketing and Development in New Prague, New Market and Lonsdale.
From 2004 to June 2007, federal authorities charge, Eric Jason Sunsdahl, 34, of Rosemount, used his role as a personal banker to submit fraudulent mortgage loan documents to underwriters. The documents misrepresented the financial condition of borrowers, according to the indictment. Sunsdahl got "substantial payments" from a mortgage broker identified as J.R.
Sunsdahl allegedly arranged to open a line of credit in the name of a Bremer customer and disbursed money without the customer's authorization. He is accused of forging loan application documents in exchange for a kickback.
Sunsdahl faces seven counts each of bank fraud and making false statements on loan applications and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
The conspiracy charge involved Parish Marketing, whose agents and officers used straw buyers to purchase about 200 properties the Eagan company built. Sunsdahl prepared false verifications of deposits for straw buyers in 2004, the indictment says.
Michael Parish, architect of what prosecutors call the largest mortgage fraud in Minnesota history, was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison. His wife, Ardith, and son-in-law, Christopher Troup -- a straw buyer -- were sentenced to five and 10 years, respectively. Appraiser Donald T. Yeager, 41, of Ardmore, Okla., was sentenced to 15 months for his role.
Dan Browning • 612-673-4493
