A REPRIEVE FOR PARSONS

Jeff Parsons has avoided further trouble – at least for now – after an Illinois Times article raised questions about his ability to pay the $12.3 million judgment against him. On Aug. 2, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Mills held a hearing in Springfield to find out who paid for Parsons’ beach wedding in Texas to spouse Bree Parsons née Finch in early July. (See “Congratulations!” by Bruce Rushton, July 5, 2016.)

Mills said the Illinois Times article made him wonder whether Parsons’ financial circumstances have changed enough to warrant a higher monthly payment to reimburse the employees he stiffed when he abruptly closed his Springfield-based business in 2012. Mills originally ordered Parsons to pay the greater of $5,155 per month or 50 percent of his income, but Parsons pleaded that he couldn’t afford the payments, and Mills eventually reduced them to $500 per month.

On the stand this week, Parsons told the court his new spouse paid for all of their wedding costs out of her business account: the booze, the vacation house on the beach, the honeymoon cruise, the photographer – even the American flag-themed sport coats Parsons and the groomsmen wore. Parsons said he’s an employee of his wife’s company, Premiere Estate Sales, and he makes $800 per week. He said $2,000 of his typical $3,200 monthly income is tied up in court-ordered payments. The large diamond Jeff Parsons put on Bree Parson’s finger was a family heirloom from her grandmother, Parsons said, and the ring band was a gift from a business associate.

Attorney James Zouras, who represents the employees to whom Parsons still owes money, questioned Parsons about a photo of a 2012 Corvette his daughter allegedly posted on social media with a caption thanking Bree. Parsons denied any knowledge of such a car, saying his daughter drives a Chevy Malibu that she bought herself.

“Certainly don’t believe everything you read on Facebook or the Illinois Times,” Parsons said. “Or the State Journal-Register.”

Zouras also questioned Parsons about his wife’s criminal past, the 3,000-square-foot house she leases for $2,550 per month and whether he had filed his tax return for 2015. Parsons said he is working with the IRS to file his 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 taxes.

Acknowledging that he didn’t have any concrete evidence of Parsons hiding assets, Zouras nonetheless told Mills questions remain about Parsons’ credibility. Mills strongly agreed and set a follow-up court date for Dec. 7.

“Something just doesn’t make sense to me,” Mills said. “Mr. Parsons is living very well. The question is who is paying the tab. Is it his new wife, or does he have something squirreled away we don’t know about?”