There have been bloggers that talk about the fact that North Minneapolis was in bad shape before Jon and Tom arrived on the scene. Thus what is the big deal what they did? Someone also stated that we have put millions of dollars into these neighborhoods and nothing changes.
How this makes what they did acceptable absolutely baffles me. How short sighted can someone be?
We spend millions trying to feed the hungry all over the world and there is still hunger. Would that make it acceptable to steal what rice and grain they have available?
We spend millions trying to eradicate child pornography and it is still a major industry. Would that make it acceptable to buy child pornography?
We spend millions on preventing domestic violence, yet women and children are still abused in this country everyday. Would that make it acceptable to take advantage of these victims in their time of need?
If you still do not believe that the Helgason's and Balkos' did not harm North Minneapolis and that boarded up houses are not an issue. Please read below
Minneapolis revokes rental licenses from 45 properties
by Brandt Williams, Minnesota Public Radio
February 29, 2008
St. Paul, Minn. — The Minneapolis city council has revoked the rental licenses on 45 properties located in north Minneapolis.
Council members say the properties were owned by TJ Waconia, an investor group under a federal flipping investigation. All but nine of the properties have been abandoned and city officials say they believe the company owns perhaps 200 properties in Minneapolis.
Council member Don Samuels represents a section of North Minneapolis particularly hard hit by the rash of mortgage foreclosures.
He said the people involved in the alleged scam are part of a crime problem that most residents aren't aware of.
"The young men who sell drugs on the corner get such ire from us, because we see them everyday. We don't see these characters," Samuels said. "They're just names on a page. And yet they create and wreak way more havoc, than 10 drug dealers per house in this case."
109 comments:
Victim T - if you are so worried about n mpls, why don't you sell your big fancy home, or one of your vacation properties, and use that money to help rebuild n mpls.?
First:
The remark above is just stupid. Individuals are perfectly free to have an opinion without any need to sell their possessions to show how deeply and sincerely they feel about a particular issue.
Second:
I'm one of the individuals who is "venting my ire" at the idiots who stand on the corners selling drugs on the North Side, where I am planning to buy a house in the next month.
I'm moving to the North Side to help the North Side, but that's not everybody's choice.
Allow me to "vent" a little more "ire," here, at the idiots who stand on the corners and sell drugs on the North Side.
Despite the harm TJ Waconia did to North Minneapolis, empty properties would be selling rather quickly if it wasn't for the open air drug markets. I've talked to some closing companies, and despite talk of a flat market, I'm told investors are snapping up properties when the properties hit rock bottom.
Just not so much on the North Side. They'll buy almost everywhere else, first, but not the North Side.
The folks who want to clean up the North Side should follow the "Lake Street Model," and crack down hard on crime, in particular the open air drug markets that are associated with the North Side the way Mount Rushmore is associated with South Dakota.
Yeah, it's great to point fingers at TJ Waconia. Lord knows I do it plenty myself. But allow me to offer the following metaphor, which may disgust you, but if you think about it you might see the truth in it:
TJ Waconia is like a bandit that robbed from the North Side, and left the North Side bleeding and cut. But the guys who sell drugs on the corners are like a pus-filled, festering infection in that painful wound.
You can't do much about the wound until you clean out the wound. The (alleged) robber has been identified, and everybody is confident indictment (or one heck of a plea bargain) will be forthcoming. So quite going on about the robber and CLEAN OUT YOUR INFECTED WOUND.
The North Side needs to crack down hard on the open air drug markets, instead of saying, "Oh, point your fingers at the TJ Waconia people, not the drug dealers."
Believe me...plenty of fingers are already being pointed at TJ Waconia, even if some of their defenders get on these blogs and say stupid stuff about the North Side always being "that way."
But a few idiot defenders of TJ Waconia shouldn't give the North Side a "free pass." Clearly, there is a serious lack of political will in the city and on the North Side, since the open air drug markets continue to exist and thrive.
TJ Waconia will get theirs. But the open air drug markets are a huge problem on the North Side, and instead of calling for less "ire" to be vented at the dealers, there needs to be a lot more ire.
In fact, I think the Minneapolis Police Department should start posting the names, pictures, and addresses of every person arrested for dealing on the North Side for the past several months, and keep on doing it.
I would also like to see pictures of Balko, Helgason, etc. I can't picture these characters. Inquiring minds want to know.
Both the drug dealers and the (alleged) mortgage fraudsters are bad, and they are both doing great harm to the North Side.
Ironically, when this is all done and the (alleged) fraudsters do their time in a white collar prison, when they get out a house in the worst part of the North Side may be all they'll be able to afford.
I go back and forth on whether there will ever be true justice, but some days I feel like it might be possible.
JOHNNY NORTHSIDE
That should say "quit" going on about the robber, and clean out the infected wound.
Not "quite."
"Quit."
Quit minimizing the harm of the open air drug markets, crack down hard, and clean up the North Side if those empty houses are ever going to sell. What TJ Waconia did is terrible, but a dismal lack of political will and minimizing criminal conduct is just making it worse.
Folks who have an open mind about the North Side go there to look at a few properties, lay their eyes on the open air drug dealing by groups of young men on the corner, and turn around and never come back.
I've talked to folks who have had that experience.
JNS
Anonymous,
First of all, I can tell that you are related to the Helgason's or Balko's because you definitely have the gift of over evaluating a persons assets.
Second you obviously have never cared about anything beyond yourself or your little circle, because if you had, you never would make such a ridiculous statement.
Not that it is any of your business but since this mess has all started, we have donated money to help the home owners of North Minneapolis through an organization called The Housing Preservation Project. The only reason I bring up this excellent non-profit organization is in hopes anyone else is interesting in helping.
Not that I can imagine someone as self absorbed as yourself would ever consider assisting others.
BTW I grew up in Minneapolis and my father was a teacher and a coach at North High School for 30 years. I am extremely proud of what a great influence he had on so many students. So please, do not deminish the value of their community ever again.
Victim T
JNS - Why would you want to live in that crack infested neighborhood? I am asuming, you don't have much money, and even if you don't why would you want to live there? Maybe that Victim T should live there, if she thinks it is so great. I guarantee she would think so highly if she herself actually lived there. Belive me, I did, and the shootings and drugs are horrible.
Correction, she would NOT think so highly of North Mpls., if she lived down there
Glad you asked.
First of all, if you just look at deals on houses, North Minneapolis is the place with all the incredible deals.
I sincerely believe North Minneapolis is going to turn around and become a much better neighborhood, maybe even a trendy sort of place, and that I can help bring about that transformation.
Part of that transformation needs to be getting rid of the crack dealers. That's why I keep calling for a "crack down." (Ha ha)
I think once there is the perception of safety and security, a new wave of residents will snap up the good deals on houses and help turn that place around.
And maybe I just have a sense of adventure.
Any defender of TJ Waconia is hardly fit to criticize me or what I've got. I won't be millions of dollars in debt on judgments and doing time in prison. Compared to where the TJ Waconia people are going, I'm well-to-do. Heck, I'm millions of dollars ahead!
JOHNNY NORTHSIDE
So before TJ who was responsible for the state of N MPlS? JNS-"good deals on houses there" I guess your life truely isn't worth much, since now it's worth a good deal, doubt it, N Mpls is about a 20x20 block area and they have more murders than the rest of the state combined. That area has to want to clean itself up and it doesn't. You'll say that plenty there do but obviously plenty don't or it would be fixed. Start the apologizing for N Mpls now
Believe me, I'm not going to be apologizing for North Minneapolis.
You're right, it needs to WANT to clean itself up. But I think it is possible to spur that kind of will (wanting to clean itself up) by holding up a mirror to North Minneapolis and telling the stories that need to be told.
And some of those stories might involve the GOOD things happening on the North Side. And, yes, there is some of that. I've seen it.
In the meantime, the sorry state of North Minneapolis doesn't give TJ Waconia a free pass. It shows how low they were willing to go. What connection did Balko or Helgason have to North Minneapolis? Did they grow up there? No. They just found an area ripe to pull off this kind of fraud, and structured their business accordingly.
You can explain a lot of behavior by how people grew up...if they grew up amid crime and deprivation, in a state of chaos, need, and violence.
Well, so what explains Tom and Jon? How was their life? How did they grow up? What made them this way? Did they grow up amid deprivation, violence and despair?
Some people willingly make a choice to turn toward evil, toward criminal behavior. At some level, that's a lot more contemptible than falling into the criminal behavior one sees in one's everyday environment.
No, the North Side doesn't get a free pass. But Tom and Jon were presented with choices and opportunities many on the North Side could only hope and dream of being presented with. And given such choices, such opportunities, they did white collar crime.
Yes, the North Side was bad, before. Now with the empty houses and squatters breaking inside, it's turning into another Detroit. It's like the difference between "really bad" versus "truly apocalyptic."
So enough with this "North Side was bad before." That's like finding a man with a broken leg, and breaking the arm holding his crutch. Shame, shame, shame.
I wish the indictment would hurry up and come. I wish justice would rain down from heaven. Rain, justice, rain.
JOHNNY NORTHSIDE
Keep waiting JNS, keep waiting. ha haha ha
JNS
You need to start being honest with yourself, you are just justifing your hobby. Hold up that mirror so you can give them another chance to say, " you don't know me and you don't know where I come from." Of course there are some good things, but a vast majority are bad. You think things like that can change, how's that middle east battle going, it's only been about 5000 years. Who has EVER, said T & J get a free pass or are not at fault? I think everyone on here agrees on what has happened but someone needs to explain how they held those properties for so many years when the other 1000+ properties gone bad across the cities lasts about 1 yr. It's time to tell yourself the truth, many, many have tried to invest and fix that area and so far batting .000. Society is a bell curve and somethings you just have to except for what they are. It's fine to let people live how they want to live, let's stop trying to fix what doesn't want to be fixed until it asks to be fixed, and one out of a hundred doesn't count. The broken leg-that's a week arguement, the comparison would be he broke his own leg and told you to leave it alone he wants it that way.
indictment coming...........from the people
tHe VoIcE
Bell curve? If there's a bell curve, you're standing on the wrong side of it. Seriously, where did you learn how to write and spell so you can make your points about my "week argument?" [sic]
JOHNNY NORTHSIDE
Johnny - Are you for fu__ing real?
The best argument you have is commenting on someones spelling, and writing abilities? I see the comment about you pulling your hair out, you better be careful, there is not too much there the way it is. I seen a pic of you, now i know why you are so lonely and bored.
Just a quick question... What does anyone one know about Kurt & Constance Helgason? I reciently found a home that I am considering buying in Maple Grove. The tax records show that it was purchased by Kurt & Constance Helgason on Jan 14th 2005 for $274,000.00. It is now listed at $214,900. Also it would seem that they currently like in Laguna Hills CA. I guess I was wondering 1) what is the relationship between Krut and Jon. 2) Did TJ Waconia (Jon) actually screwed his own family as well.
Also see this link for a documment that seems to connect Jon, Kurt Tom and several others.
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/council/2008-meetings/20080229/docs/helgason.RCA.pdf
Thanks
Just a quick question... What does anyone one know about Kurt & Constance Helgason? I recently found a home that I am considering buying in Maple Grove. The tax records show that it was purchased by Kurt & Constance Helgason on Jan 14th 2005 for $274,000.00. It is now listed at $214,900. Also it would seem that they currently like in Laguna Hills CA. I guess I was wondering 1) what is the relationship between Kurt and Jon. 2) Did TJ Waconia (Jon) actually screwed his own family as well.
Also see this link for a document that seems to connect Jon, Kurt Tom and several others.
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/council/2008-meetings/20080229/docs/helgason.RCA.pdf
Thanks
OK so my spelling sucks. Please forgive me.
Here is my new blog, The Adventures of Johnny Northside.
http://adventuresofjohnnynorthside.blogspot.com/
I believe in an open discussion, but I'll be posting comments AFTER reviewing them, so if you're going to say something stupid, don't be whining if your little manifesto doesn't get posted.
JOHNNY NORTHSIDE
No longer a Believer
Join the community
Minneapolis, MN 1 min ago
An outsider wrote:
I am left only at this point, but to question the validity of the information on this website.“Victims” have told their story, now I ask myself, how much is fiction and how much is truth. I have arrived at the conclusion that the information on this website needs to be questioned. It was stated that Balko and Helgason “took 871K in a government grant in 2006 to help fix up the North side, what do you think that they did with the money”, direct quote from a “Victim”. When questioned as to the validity of this claim, a website was posted, by a “Victim” where you could see the information for yourself . As there appears to be more than 1 Victim, I cannot say if it would be the same person, but the city of origin appeared to be the same. I reviewed that document and was amazed that this “Victim” claimed that it was for fixing up the North Side. If someone would have done just a little reading they would see that this was not in fact a “grant”, but a Certified Development Company Loan made by the Small Business Administration. Also known as a SBA 504 Loan, and yes it also states that this “assistance type” was a loan,(both direct and guaranteed). You will notice that in that same section was also a spot for an amount if it was “Grants And Cooperative Agreements”, of which there is no amount listed, NOT a GRANT ! So with what was indicated and not wanting to discredit the statement entirely by this “Victim”, researched the SBA and their 504 Loan, maybe there was an error of sort. Don’t take my word for this – read the information on the link provided. It clearly states under Eligible Business,“loans cannot be made to businesses engaged in speculation or investment in rental real estate”. Not to mention that their Business Plans must be reviewed and approved, as well as what they are borrowing against becomes “collateral, and personal guarantees are required”. I understand that this can be quite a rigorous process, as this is a LOAN given by the Government.“Berettahunter” in this same blog “stated that this was a loan for Dancer’s Edge”, one of their previous companies. Last time I checked, Maple Grove was not a part of North Minneapolis. And I think I may say with certainty that the “collateral” had a lien placed on it by the SBA. I at this point have been left with no question in my mind that this was NOT used to “fix up the North Side” of Minneapolis.
http://www.sba.gov/services/financialassistan ...
Please forgive me, but I must also question all on this blog. One “Victim” indicated that they had been in court and received a judgement for money that was owed them. So once again I need to question the facts. Did they show up in court? Did they contest to the fact that they owed you money? If they did NOT appear a judgement in your favor would be entered. Inquiring minds. I apologize, I am be able to find the information on these blogs, but am not willing to waste any more time in reading these blogs to answer this question.
Interesting information - this appears to put a different slant on these allegations. Previously someone pointed out that some information has been deleted, and asked why - some victim claimed that it was because of "infidelity" reasons, which may or not be appropriate. They also alleged that there was a discrimination on the part of the so called victims and their agenda. More interesting is that this information regarding a "so called Grant" has been deleted. Can someone explain this??? Inquiring minds!
Speaking of the "little manifesto," well, it came into my blog, too.
Like I said on my blog, I might leave up stuff "in the spirit of Voltaire" if it represents "substantive discussion." That doesn't mean I agree with it.
http://adventuresofjohnnynorthside.blogspot.com/
Someone needs to get there facts straight, this is not the first thing on this blog has been incorrect. Maybe the VICTIM should do some more research before running off at the mouth.
Oh forgive me, before someone corrects me, it should state - THEIR
Bravo, VICTIM, Bravo - posting incorrect information, AGAIN! Boy you are now batting zero.
In response to Victim Please as it relates to our judgment. Yes they did fight that they owed us the money. I believe the argument that they claimed was "predatory lending". But the judge disagreed since they came to us to borrow the money and wrote the terms to repay and she did not think anything was predatory at all. As far as them showing up in court, they do not have to be there, just their legal counsel.
As far as a "grant" vs. "government business loan" it is still tax payer’s money I believe?? I assumed it was a grant because that is the tab it was listed under. If they could not get the money for their Real Estate Company which is what TJ Holdings, LLC is (which is now considered inactive), what did they claim they were going to do with the money? Did they have another business besides the Dance Studio that was not related to Real Estate? Does anyone know? It would be interesting to know if the loan is in default?
I am not an expert detective, just trying my best to find information. I welcome all findings. In the end I believe they will be found guilty on many charges and that is all that really matters.
"Sometimes it is better to do the right thing instead of always being right."
If they are found guilty, will you finally be able to sleep at night? This obviously is an obsession, can you say OCD!
to the person who made the last entry. I dont think you understand what is at stake here. and to answer your question ..... no
I know what's at stake...nothing. You need to realize that there is nothing you can do. The courts and the fed's have it now and this is what they do for a living. Again, there is nothing at stake because them going to jail solves nothing but your peace of mind, and no matter how much they get (it won't be much, or hard time)you won't be satisfied, just like you aren't now. There won't be any money, and even if there was there would be nothing you could do to facilitate it. You really need to take a big boy pill and understand that the world works how it works, and not only do they not need your help anymore, they don't want it, and there's nothing you can do or say to help the situation, your role is now over, just sit back and watch. So no, there is nothing at stake, what's done is done and there is only a result to wait for, so sit and wait.
Or beat your head against the wall trying to do things that don't matter but make you feel like you're in control of something when in reality you're not. Yeah, I like that better, it helps me kill five minutes a day. It does give me joy to see what madness others are creating for themselves when I get bored, when they should just be doing productive things.
Please tell us - what is at stake here? A judgement of some sort? Good luck, chuck!
you forget the courts , the law , these are the least of their worries.....
There are things that can be done. Contact the Attorney Generals office and State Attorney Generals office and voice your concern. Contact elected officials. Minneapolis council board members. Make enough noise and more will be done.
I am not so sure of easy time. Very similar scam as Tom and Jon. This guy received 12 years in Federal Prison with no parole. He was involved with 300 properties...TJ (according to the articles) has 400. And that does not even include all their other legal issues such as the Dance Studio.
As far as the money goes, I agree, there probably is none. But that does not mean that you just give up and walk away at this point it is about the principle of what they did. These judgements stay with them for the remaider of their lives. Even if there is any money, it looks like from the below articles that any money would go to restitution.
BRENT BARBER dba MIDTOWNE RESTORATION, L.L.C (KANSAS CITY): A two-year joint investigation conducted by the Kansas City FBI Office, IRS, and HUD-OIG culminated on August 13, 2004 with the arrest of Brent Barber, real estate investor. Barber, along with his three business associates were charged in U.S. District Court for their alleged roles in purchasing run-down properties, securing fraudulent appraisals, and obtaining mortgages in the names of straw purchasers. It is alleged that the straw purchasers were paid $2,000 for their role in the scheme whereby they placed properties in foreclosure, leaving Barber and his associates with the mortgage proceeds. This scenario was repeated approximately 300 times, resulting in losses to lending and financial institutions in excess of $15 million.
A one-time millionaire with a house on a golf course, Barber was sentenced in October to 12 years in prison for masterminding the largest mortgage fraud ever prosecuted in Missouri, and most other states too, the FBI says. He pleaded guilty to a five-year scam that involved nearly 300 properties in Kansas City, Mo., and victimized more than 80 people.
If you want the full information/articles here are some links. Very interesting...
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/mow/news2006/thomas...
http://www.fbi.gov/publications/financial/fcs...
http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/housing/2...
Sorry...those links did not appear to work.
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/mow/news2006/thomas_phillip.sen.htm
http://www.fbi.gov/publications/financial/fcs_report052005/fcs_report052005.htm
http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/housing/2007-01-24-home-scammer_x.htm
Victim T - Lets say they are found guily and recieve, lets say 3 years, will you then be satisfied? Or do you want them put away for life?
They are in trouble. Great articles. And I'll answer for you. Life.
I am not sure if "satisfied" is the right word I would use. Would I like them to serve time for the crimes that have committed, well yes!
I guess I have never really thought about how much time I would like to see them get. But I am sure I have no idea on how much damage they have really done or how many different charges will be brought against them.
I guess I would prefer they are given the appropriate time for their crimes. And then....
After they are done serving the time, they had to work to pay restitution and all of the judgments. They could be allowed minimal housing and food stamps. All the rest of the money they earned went to pay back all the Dancers Edge victims, all the money they borrowed and all the people that were damaged in the mortgage scheme.
In prison they would just be using more tax payer's money.
Just a thought.
Another thought...
On the weekends they had to do community service. I think working on Habitat for Humanity Houses, painting houses of the elderly or just cleaning up vacant houses would be appropriate.
keep dreaming Victim T - keep dreaming
what are the odds they live that long T?
Victim T - You seriously need some help. I feel sorry for your husband. Why don't you just let the feds do there job, and sit back and wait? You spend hours researching, just in hopes that you can figure out how much time they might have to serve.
What is it to you?
Victim T
You are seriously delusional and need help, maybe you and JNS can get a group rate. The damage done by yourself to yourself way out weighs what those two could have ever done. Your time, worry, desire to see conviction, and obsession will eat you alive. You are now an addict, addicted to seeing what happens and winning. It's almost like killing the killer of a loved one. Those revenge killers rarely feel satisfied and infact wonder what now and don't know what to do with their lives, (which personally I don't understand, because if they know they're revenge killers than they are in jail and they have nothing to do for the rest of their lives, anyway. It could almost be satisfaction for T & J to know that this eats you up so much, it could almost be self-imposed revenge on yourself for being such an annoyance to them.
I'm serious about a shrink, go see what they have to say, what can it hurt? Wouldn't it be nice to be able to let it all go, just think of your happiness if you didn't obsess with this everyday.
I bet my bottom dollar that T&J get satisfaction over this eating her up. Belive me, I know this women, she will obsess over this till her death, she does with everything. She is a nut bag!
Interesting...very interesting.
First of all this is not eating us up at all....we sleep like babies! I wonder if Jon and Tom are waiting every night for the knock on the door?
As far as this site goes, we have had many people and attorneys contact us off line that we have been able to assist. And before you go off talking about how there is no money, (which I am sure makes you very happy to know that the victims will never see any of their money back). You can help people in other ways, such as providing information and helping them find ways out of this mess. So I feel that my time has been well spent, say what you will.
Why you are obsessed with what I do with 15 minutes of my day is fascinating. What are you doing here? You just do not get it do you…if you knew what we did….it is really just pure entertainment for us!
We have much more information that we are not allowed to disclose on here for obvious reasons....but it sure as HELL would be fun!
As far as Tom/Jon getting satisfaction over our interest in them, let them think what they will. Sometimes it is just good old fashion fun to F with someone who has screwed so many people.
Sleep well…Helgason/Balko Camp, isn’t this fun!!
great article in the northeaster today!!! no new info, but spreads word of this disease.
Victim T : You have got to be kidding me - you post false information on this website, and other websites, information that you claim to be truth. Some of the bad information has been proven. It appears that you are more than careless in your accusations. I highly doubt that you spend only 15 minutes per day obsessing over this. A high percentage of your posts are during the day, does your employer know that they are paying you to carry on a such a personal vendetta, instead of what you are paid to do? "You claim that you have so much more information that you are not allowed to disclose." Would that be more false information? Your integrity has been questioned before, and it has been proven that you post or "delete" information which does not further your agenda. Not to mention your careless disregard for information that you post. Proof of such has left those who initially felt sympathy towards you, now discredit every post you make. Perhaps all this may be to you is "f"ing with them as you so eloquently put it. Which again questions your integrity and the information that you "claim" to have, which may be circumspect at best.
Victim wrote:
In response to Victim Please as it relates to our judgment. Yes they did fight that they owed us the money. I believe the argument that they claimed was "predatory lending". But the judge disagreed since they came to us to borrow the money and wrote the terms to repay and she did not think anything was predatory at all. As far as them showing up in court, they do not have to be there, just their legal counsel.
As far as a "grant" vs. "government business loan" it is still tax payer’s money I believe?? I assumed it was a grant because that is the tab it was listed under. If they could not get the money for their Real Estate Company which is what TJ Holdings, LLC is (which is now considered inactive), what did they claim they were going to do with the money? Did they have another business besides the Dance Studio that was not related to Real Estate? It would be interesting to know if the loan is in default?
Victim T - you may want to research the term "predatory lending", you may “once” again be incorrect in your assumption. You also stated that they came to you; whether or not they came to you or you came to them - you agreed to the terms, which would make you culpable. Perhaps that may be why the judge ruled as she did, and indicated that this was NOT to be termed "Predatory Lending".
As for the "grant" you claimed they received and posted on these websites. You claimed ignorance of the information you posted. I find this is abhorrent; you posted information but did not verify the information that you posted! Why you would use such careless disregard in making such an allegation, without researching the facts is beyond me. As it appears you post information without verifying it. You will be held responsible for any misinformation that you have posted, which could result in libel, slander, or defamation of character. I will let you search the case law regarding such. I am neither a supporter nor a believer, but do believe that you may be continuously altering the facts and information to better your agenda.
Also in researching some of your questions regarding their "grant". Thought perhaps you have issues in researching the truth, I would do the research for you, since it appears not to be your forte. This SBA loan has been paid off according to county and government records. Not in default.
As for "tax payer" money! Ooops - we are all a beneficiary of that. My home mortgage is a Fannie Mae Loan which is backed by the government, thank you for allowing me to use your tax payer money to purchase my home. I believe that that is what they call a “mortgage backed security”. My hunch is that you are a recipient of this as well.
Imagine that, the almighty Victim T, has posted incorrect information AGAIN!
Ha - 15 minutes a day, what a fricken joke. It takes her alot longer than that to research and post false information.
What happened to all that escrow money collected by his title company?
Just let the feds do their jobs yes but we are all adults. Stop bickering online. If someone does not agree with a website that over and over states it is there for those who want to discuss what they went through then stay away. Why fuel the fire and continue to comment. Now this just seems to be a website for those to compare who knows more then the next. Just stop already and let people say what they may. Truth is truth it will come out regardless of what it may be.
That is correct, above poster. The truth is the truth, and apparently Victim T, is not the way to the truth. She has posted more incorrect information, and she has already been threatened to be sued, and for good reason. I have always wanted to go toe, to toe with this women. Only if she knew what HER friends think of HER. Come on Victim T, I have all day, just like you apparently do. Bring it on, I am waiting.....
Looks like the Victim T, has some haters, just like JNS. Has anyone been to his site? Funny how he does not get any posters.
Come on now people. By you attacking the victim T, she is going to have to focus more than her 15 minutes a day, on her blog. She is going to have to spend time deleting things that are said about her.
This site was set up to help the many victims of Helgason and Balko. I did not intend for it to become a sophomoric battering going back and forth. This is my site and I can spend as much as or as little time on it as I wish. If you do not like the content, you do not have to visit. As far as deleting information I can if I would like, but I have deleted just a few posts, one was just typing for three pages and they other one was inappropriate and had nothing to do with me. Please go through the posts and tell where I deleted your opinions….I see them everywhere, even the one where you posted my name, location and where I worked. If I were going to delete anything don’t you think that I would have deleted that?
As for the Grant vs. Loan situation, that is exactly what Tab it is under on the site. I provided the site for everyone to investigate if they wanted. I was not trying to hide or mislead anyone. We were provided the site from someone who contacted us off line and told us about it. I do not know how this means that I have no integrity?
I do not want anyone to feel sorry for us. We are dealing with the mess they left us and we will be just fine. I do feel sorry for many of the other victims who cannot fight. I will give you just one example:
Our renters are a very nice newly married couple from Iowa. We had to contact them to start paying us the rent instead of TJ Holdings because Jon was still collecting the rent and leaving us to pay the mortgages. They were concerned about their damage deposit and last months rent. I contacted both Gayle and Jon twice via email and never received an answer. Below are my emails. This young couple was planning on using that money when they wanted to buy their own house. They have since contacted an attorney about going to court to get the money back. They were told that they would have to spend more money in court filing fees, etc. than they would probably ever get back. So they are just simply out what little money they had. I am sure you will try and kick them down as well and claim that they are not victims either.
Thursday, August 02, 2007 3:19 PM
Gayle,
I am writing again to request that the monies received from the renters at 4XXX and 4XXX as it relates to damage deposits, first and last months rents be returned to us immediately. After discussions with JXXX ( tenants 4XXX) they stated that you not only took $1,295.00 in a damage deposit but also this same amount for both first and last months rent. Please note that they have the cancelled checks and documentation, etc. if you require this. If we do not receive the following checks within 5 business days, I will refer the tenants directly to you and give them your contact information.
Thursday, September 06, 2007 2:36 PM
JXXX,
Thank you for taking the time to talk with me last tonight. I apologize for all the confusion with Jon Helgason and his companies. As we discussed, I truly have tried to get your damage deposit back for you. Please see my emails below. However, neither Citywide Management nor any of Jon Helgason's related companies have forwarded us your damage deposits. Since you paid Citywide Management your damage deposit and signed the lease with them, too, you will need to work directly with Citywide Management to recover your damage deposit. Citywide Management is no longer taking phone calls, but please feel free to contact Jon directly at (XXX) XXX-XXX. The office is located at 3101 Old Highway 8, Roseville MN. Again my apologies for all the trouble Jon Helgason and Tom Balko have caused you.
Kind Regards,
You can say whatever mean things you want to about me, but I know that are not true. None of my friends or family even know about this situation only the small group that were from the Helgason crowd. So to say you know what my friends think of me is you just trying anything to be mean.
I think you know what they did and you just don’t have any other way of defending them but to attack me.
I will no longer be arguing with you.
Ha - If you only knew who all knows
Victim T... This is someone new to sift thru your BS for the benefit of the blog readers to understand exactly how you are full of it.
I have copied parts of your last post and my replies will begin with...
(Reply)
"Victim T said...
This site was set up to help the many victims of Helgason and Balko. I did not intend for it to become a sophomoric battering going back and forth."
(Reply)
You give yourself too much credit. Your false bantering & grandstanding are elementary, not Sophomoric.
"Victim T:
We are dealing with the mess they left us and we will be just fine."
(Reply)
I am sure you will. I can just see you sipping your little fruity drinks with the straw umbrella's at your Florida property or perhaps your Minnesota lake home.
Victim? Ya right!
"Victim T...
Our renters are a very nice newly married couple from Iowa. We had to contact them to start paying us the rent instead of TJ Holdings. They were concerned about their damage deposit and last months rent. This young couple was planning on using that money when they wanted to buy their own house. So they are just simply out what little money they had. I am sure you will try and kick them down as well and claim that they are not victims either."
(Reply)
Not at all. I will kick you for continuing to be a short-sighted idiot.
They were planning on using that money to buy a house???
Why on earth, would ANYONE expect to be paid back for their first months rent!? They were NOT cheated out of that money.
And the last months rent??? Unless you are not telling us everything, they were still in a lease. Why would you say they were cheated out of that rent money?
Think about this now people...
If the tenant was to move BEFORE the lease expired, that would be a breach of contract. Not only would the last months rent be applied as the final month they were residing there, their security deposit would not be refundable due to the breach.
And they TOLD you they wanted to buy a house! Meaning... You were NOT going to retain them as tenants and I don't blame them for trying to sucker you in to their "woe is us" story to get first/last months rent BACK, PLUS their deposit. That is insane! Am I missing something??
Oh yeah, you said you told them to pay you and not Jon. So? What happened? If you were paying the mortgage with the tenants rent... What is the problem?
I see the problem clearly... You don't know the first thing about property management.
You screwed YOURSELF on that one!
"Victim T...
Thursday, August 02, 2007 3:19 PM
Gayle,
as it relates to damage deposits, first and last months rents be returned to us immediately. Please note that they have the cancelled checks."
(Reply)
Did I read that correctly???
You demanded the money be returned to YOU and NOT the poor, we are going to skip out of our lease to buy a house with refunded rent...Tenant?
Which is it? I assume you were going to rush right over to them and hand them the $3,000+ personally, right?
Whatever!
"Victim T...
Since you paid Citywide Management your damage deposit and signed the lease with them, too, you will need to work directly with Citywide Management to recover your damage deposit.
Please feel free to contact Jon directly at (XXX) XXX-XXX."
(Reply)
I am simply stunned at how incredibly stupid, you look by saying that.
Signed a lease with THEM. Paid the deposit to THEM.
I would say.... IT STANDS TO REASON, THAT THEY ALREADY WOULD HAVE THAT SAME INFORMATION!!!
You are a real genius!
I think that proves that you went and stuck your nose in where you at least had no idea of what you were doing... OTHER than trying to paint someone else to be the bad guy and you appear to be the hero.
Oh.... What happened to that property again after you instructed a tenant to not pay their rent to who they had a legal-binding contract with???
I may not be the smartest guy in the world BUT... That sure as hell sounds like FRAUD on some level.
And what happened to the house again???
"Victim T...
You can say whatever mean things you want to about me, but I know that are not true."
(Reply)
Well YOU are the only one that thinks they are not true.
Everyone else KNOWS they are true because you always prove yourself wrong. Want proof?
Re-read above.
Victims T credibility is shot in the ass again, imagine that.
First of all they did not move before the end of the contract, thus no breach of contract.
The only one that was in breach of contract was TJ for both keeping the rent and for not buying back the homes on the contracted date. Funny how once this date came due, they just stop paying people.
Please explain to me why TJ is entitled to their damage deposit or why we should have to cover their last months rent? Their last months rent when to TJ.
TJ kept 4 months of their rent without passing it onto us. So how could we possibly use their rent to pay the mortgage?
Of course they knew who they had paid their money to, however Citywide had not returned their phone calls for over 5 months before we contacted them. I was just trying to help the renters, I felt sorry for them.
Instead of trying to discredit victims, why don't you explain how anything that they did is acceptable?
You are simply just mean and angry.
Victim T...
I thought of going into another detailed reply in response to you but, it dawned on me that there is no point I can make, no proof I could explain and no reason that would make a difference to you.
I will agree with one thing about you though. I have read all of your complaints, theories, answers and findings. All of them paint a very clear picture about you as a person and your view on life....
You honestly are a "Victim."
It is never your fault. You erode your own credibility when you prematurely and many times, incorrectly, attack people. And people have wondered, "why?"
So, yes... You are a victim.
Maybe one day you will realize that you are a victim to yourself.
But you are having fun I bet. You go prancing around on "your" free site while portraying yourself to be a white knight, here to contribute to mankind.
Well... Toilet Paper helps mankind too but its you that likes to cling to shit.
-Victim T Bag
It makes one wonder, what has happened in her lifetime, being she portrays the victim so well. It is very apparent, if you know her, she has issues. Belive me, this blog just keeps her mind off of her real issues.
Victim T-Bag,
Your tactics are well known in the legal community. It is primarily used by defendants that are completely guilty and they have no other recourse but to try to humiliate/discredit the victim(s). They also like to present a situation where the victim(s) are some how not telling the truth or have caused this situation themselves. They try to pick apart their statements, etc. and find tiny little irrelevant cracks. This is all in hope that the victim(s) will not continue with their legal rights.
It is commonly used in rape cases (victim was wearing a short skirt and provoked the attack) and most certainly fraud/scheme cases such as this. The defense counsel tries to make it look like somehow the victim(s) deserved what happened to them, they should have known better. Or as it appears here, that because a victim has a vacation home that this person should just not receive proper justice.
It is very apparent from your transparent baseless personal attacks that you are very aware of the guilt.
Historically these attacks are dismissed by the Judge/Jury for what they are, baseless.
But I guess you have to present some type of defense.
T - The person disputing your story must be T or J , I say this because it is the most ignorant defense of TJ yet. If this is how they are responding to authorities, they may get life for being to dumb to live.
To the wanna be attorney - If you have been following this at all, Victim T has discredited herself on this blog, more than ONCE. This is why, we the people, are having a hard time believing anything this woman says.
It looks like Victim T is really lying about what happened? My guess in NO. Check out all the law suits. If they are so innocent, why so many lawsuits? Someone claimed that VT was lying about the judgement they received. Cannot verify for sure who they are but it does appear from this website that there have been some monetary judgements against these two. There might be more, but I only searched by thier names and not all the companies.
http://pa.courts.state.mn.us/CaseSearchResults.aspx?SearchLinkIndex=2
Victim T or anybody.
Look at all the FRAUD on Cardiff Lane in Eden Prairie. Looks like TJ Waconia bought an apartment complex did a conversion and sold to individual investors. 27 of the apx 35 units are in foreclosure. I have heard they gave commissions back to buyers of around $100k on a $260k purchase????? Fraud?????
Again might I say that your "ignorance is showing!! "You heard" - let's try again to provide facts - which I'm assuming you cannot! This sounds totally absurd! Put up facts or "SHUT UP"!!
Why does anyone stay on this blog if they themselves dont know the facts? Only problem with Cardiff is the dollar amount was probably a little less then 100k. Stop fighting grow up. Stop with the name calling and grow up. Plenty is in foreclosure on Cardiff. You want facts look at county records.
who is the fact hunting moron? Wadkins?
Oh, it looks as though trailer trash is back.
"Anonymous said...
who is the fact hunting moron? Wadkins?"
Wojtowicz...(Terry), Give it a rest. Go sell a car.
(And this isn't "Wadkins" or whoever the hell you claim)
speaking of back. is the village scooter back from mexico?
you know tom. the wife you were sharing with everyone.
"Anonymous said...
speaking of back. is the village scooter back from mexico?
you know tom. the wife you were sharing with everyone."
Tom's wife? Not that I know of.
Oh! You must mean Terry's ex-wife, Shelly! I don't know if you can call that "sharing" since it was only with her boss.
And before your Inspector Gadget thinking head claims this is Tom... Trust me, it isn't.
Someone must know jill well, let me guess, she serviced you as well? what a pitty tom was to niave to know that he was married to a tramp. everyone knew, but him
EVERYBODY knew. What does your mommy and daddy do? My dad is in jail. My mom has boyfriends.
"Anonymous said...
EVERYBODY knew. What does your mommy and daddy do? My dad is in jail. My mom has boyfriends."
This got me to wondering about the flip side...
"My dad wears wife beater t-shirts and sits in front of the TV all day, drinking beer, while waiting for his food stamps.
My mommy has her picture on Craigslist and complains about how she is a victim all day."
"My dad wears wife beater t-shirts and sits in front of the TV all day, drinking beer, while waiting for his food stamps.
My mommy has her picture on Craigslist and complains about how she is a victim all day."
What??? Who are you referring to? Have you completly lost it?
Name one person who is on craigs list and what man is sitting around drinking beer and waiting for food stamps? You are so desparate. If you have evidence of someone posting their picture on craigs list, please provide the link.
You are a FREAK on their way to prison!!
Have fun in prison boys-to bad your not smart enough to do it the right way. Bring your vaseline! Bubba is waiting
Don't forget Amy and Jill. I hope they like a little patch lovin'. If they think they are not going to get indicted as well, they are either listening to clueless lawyers or day dreaming.
You cannot knowingly profit from fraud and just pretend you did not know what was going on. They might probably just get probation.
At least someone will be home to take care of the children. Great role models their mothers will be, a slut and a deer hunitng dyke (actually Amy you should fit right in at prison, all the makeup in the world cannot hide the fact that you are really a man).
Has anyone else noticed how much the previous two post authors seem to know about prison and the law (not to mention, She-males)?
What I find ironic is the "victims" also profited from (what they have concluded, regardless of charges being absent thus far) fraud.
And someone has already pointed out that ignorance is not an excuse.
I wish this site had a hit counter on it so we could see if more than 6 or 7 people come to this site.
If you go to view profile, it appears that 406 people have viewed the profile. My guess is that is a little high, maybe someone looked at the profile more than once.
So according to that hit counter, it surely is more that 7 people.
So I just figured out something. That house pictured in this link is 415 31st Ave. N.
If you go to my blog and read about "electricity theft" on the North Side, and also read the comments, well, you'll see that address mentioned.
I'll be adding more material soon but suffice to say...at some point, it appears somebody was stealing electricity off the pole in the back yard of "415" and running it to two houses next door, both of them now vacant.
But don't worry. I'm buying a house on that block. So I'll be PERSONALLY helping to clean up the FUCKING MESS T.J. Waconia left behind.
If you havent noticed, Hoffy, nobody is worried, except you and the almighty Victim T.
You are correct, I do care. At least I have a conscience.
You are wrong, there are plenty of people worried.
Victim T
so Johnny N, what property are you buying, and how do you do that as a student?
Really Victim T, if you are so worried, maybe you should be living down there with Hoff.
What property: All in good time, and watch the Johnny Northside blog for all the juicy, colorful details.
How I manage: I'm frugal as hell, and besides being a student, I work. Prices have dropped as low as they can drop. It ain't that hard. Not everybody needs a mansion with a jacuzzi using "rented credit."
Some folks try to get by honestly through, oh gee, hard work.
Johnny. All you have to do is find a home you like. Pay the owner 20k over asking. Give him 10K back at closing and you keep 10K. Of course helgason has to do the loan and balko the appraisal. Then have total title close it. You can get a lot of homes that way and money too. Isn't that how it is done?
JN, is "hard work" buying property and taking cash for it like you did with T&J? And by "frugal" you mean putting lots of money into a bad property in a bad neighborhood. Oh, you want to buy low and sell when the market changes, sounds familiar. N Mpls. has been through this four times since 1975, talk about taking advantage of a depressed area, glad to see you're following in other's footsteps. That's right, you are going to do what no one else has been able to do in over 30 years, fix the neighborhood.
You are such great mid-day entertainment.
Oh don't forget about Victim T, she also is going to help fix up N MPLS, because her father use to teach down there. Blah blah blah...
What is with the "down there"?? You obviously are very high on yourself.
To bad you will soon be in prison with some of the people from "down there", that you seem to hold in such low regard. Once they find out what you are in for...probably not going to be the best situation.
I won't be in prison, because this is not T&J. Like JNS stated, it is like a third world country, and belive me, it has been like this WAY before T&J came to town. I should know, I had to live in that hell hole for years. Don't think so highly of yourself "T" there are other people that think your nuts besides T&J.
Another lawsuit....I wonder if T&J will get this civil cased stayed as well.
http://www.startribune.com/local/17207696.html
And let's not forget no dance studio to siphon off little kids money from.
Funny, what do they think they are going to get? The same as everyone else, NOTHING.
They may get nothing but they are not going to run out of money and time on this. And the pressure will begin on the FBI to bring them to justice. Either way, this cannot be good for them.
Jill has a house that was not bought with her money. Make sure they go after that.
From what i hear, Jill walked off with everything, even the grand piano.
Don't forget Tom's dignity.
He should be thankful that - THING, left.
He should be thankful that - THING, left.
Victim T - wake up, you honestly think they will put them in jail, with your NMPLS friends? They will go to a white collar prison, and then again, you still won't be happy.
stillwater, white collar. who cares? i would think the average person would be humiliated to have to go to prison. it's like going to white collar prison makes what they did okay. i know i get to shower with out 40 other men.
Tom can get that GED in prison. His kids will be so proud. Of course you get to watch them grow up through glass on weekends.
OHHH, lets not forget about Jons kids as well.
I guess even Mayor Rybak thinks this is personal.
http://wcco.com/consumer/mortgage.fraud.case.2.690835.html
Why, oh why would any one take this personally. It was just a bad neighborhood any way. And they are only going to get one year. That makes it okay, doesn't it? Tom's butt buddy, where are you?
First of all, somebody in the comments is confused. I've never had any business dealings with "T&J" or, for that matter, owned property before in Minneapolis.
As for the inability of anybody to "fix the neighborhood" in 30 years, well, that does make it a bigger challenge...but with so many empty houses, and the city stepping in and filing lawsuits...saying it is "personal" and bigger than the airport noise lawsuit...
Well, the future has not yet been written. When did history books ever praise those who threw up their hands and said, "It's too hard"?
I'm trying to remember when, precisely, I supposedly said "it's like a Third World country."
But I'm not going to object, because soon enough I'll be writing out the story about electricity theft, and I'm likely to say that whole "like a Third World country" thing.
Some closing remarks, and I say these things not just to show I'm fair-minded, but because I really am.
KEEP THE KIDS OUT OF IT. Kids are innocent. Kids can't help who their parents are. Victims wouldn't want the other side taking shots at THEIR kids and, actually, nobody on the Balko Helgason team appears to have said SHIT about anybody's kid.
So keep the kids out of it, in the name of world peace and human decency.
Next, all the talk about people's looks (or lack of them) is just ugly and irrelevant. Is everybody in the victim camp blessed with movie star good looks? Let's keep the punches ABOVE THE BELT, shall we?
Lastly, the house pictured here is 415 N. 31st Street. It's on the block where I bought a house and it's the subject of a lawsuit by the Hawthorne Neighborhood Association, and I hope they win.
But guess what? It's not a TJ Waconia house. It makes a good enough "general illustration," and can be used in that regard, but this one is owned by CitiMortgage.
You can read all about that house in the Star Tribune.
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