Vehicle of Jon Harder Seized To Reduce Restitution Debt
PORTLAND, Ore. — The vehicle of Jon Harder- former CEO of Sunwest Management and its affiliated companies that are implicated in a $120 million fraud scheme, was seized by the Oregon office of the U.S. Attorney General yesterday. The proceeds are earmarked to help fulfill an earlier restitution order granted against the defendant.
Sunwest Management and a conglomerate of associated companies- formerly headed by Harder, were engaged in the acquisition, construction, and management of several assisted living facilities. Under Harder, the Sunwest Management consortium accumulated about 300 assisted living facilities that catered to more than 15,000 residents.
A dark truth was revealed by investigations that showed that Harder knowingly misled hundreds of investors about the nature and risks connected to their investments in Sunwest properties and its development ventures. He deceived over 1,400 investors by concealing the dire financial state of Sunwest which perpetually operated at substantial monthly losses. As a result, losses exceeding $120 million were inflicted on investors.
A 180-month federal prison sentence was handed down to the now-former CEO arising from charges of wire fraud and money laundering. He was also ordered to disburse more than $74 million in restitution to Sunwest’s victims.
In a collaborative effort involving the IRS-Criminal Investigation, the FBI, the Justice Department’s U.S. Trustee Program, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the United States was represented by Julia Jarrett. Jarrett is the Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon and was supported by the Financial Litigation Program (FLP) staff of the District of Oregon. FLP adheres to the relevant laws, regulations, and Justice Department policies while executing its mission- to secure maximum recovery of civil and criminal debts.
The role of the district of Oregon’s FLP- housed within the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Division, was pivotal in delivering justice to the victims in the Sunwest matter. Collaborating with individuals subject to restitution orders, FLP attorneys and its support personnel help bring closure to victims of crime while recovering losses incurred by U.S. taxpayers.
Court documents reflect that in July 2023, information was received by the U.S. Attorney’s Office indicating that Harder had purchased a 2023 Ford F-150 truck for around $70,000 in cash. These funds were provided by a non-familial individual.
Further investigation revealed that the vehicle was registered in Harder’s name only and it was kept at his residence in Canyonville, Oregon. The U.S. Marshals Service, acting on a U.S. District Court order issued on January 19, 2024, seized the vehicle from Harder’s property. The court subsequently sanctioned the sale of the vehicle and also directed that the proceeds be applied to Harder’s outstanding restitution debt balance.
The move is seen as a significant stride in the pursuit of justice by redressing the fraud scheme, which was one of the largest in Oregon’s history.
