A San Francisco activist has revealed that the news of his death was false and that he has been residing in Mexico for the past six weeks.
Richard Parina, 78, who claimed to be a retired Army brigadier general with three Purple Hearts, reportedly died in January as a result of lingering injuries sustained during the Persian Gulf War.
But now he has confirmed to the San Francisco Standard who is actually alive and shares a photo of himself clean shaven and wearing the t-shirt of a neighborhood cleanup organization.
Parina claimed it was her “adopted nephew” who spread rumors of her death after she raised $1.3 million for a political action committee. “If he had kept his mouth shut, no one would have paid attention to him,” he said.
But he reportedly emailed an associate in San Francisco earlier this week to say he was on his deathbed in San Jose del Cabo but that “the golf and food are great.”
San Francisco activist Richard Parina, 78, revealed that the news of his death was false and that he has been residing in Mexico for the past six weeks.
He claimed to be a retired Army brigadier general with three Purple Hearts and reportedly died in January as a result of lingering wounds sustained during the Persian Gulf War.
But he confirmed to the San Francisco Standard that he still lives in San José del Cabo (pictured) and shared a photo of himself clean-shaven and wearing the T-shirt of a neighborhood clean-up organization.
Parina was last seen publicly on Jan. 17, when he attended a District 9 oversight debate at El Rio bar in the Mission District.
At the meeting he said he no longer had time for social media and handed out cards with his direct contact information, and that night his accounts on X and NextDoor disappeared.
The next day, ‘Richard Francis’ posted on .º Advanced Supply Battalion, attached to the 1st Armored Division. He received his third Purple Heart and second Bronze Star.
There was an outpouring of condolences and Supervisor Matt Dorsey praised Parina in a speech during a Board of Supervisors meeting.
But Parina revealed that she has been living in Mexico and blamed her nephew for the fake news.
‘He created all these characters. He’s crazy, man. Out of nowhere,” he said.
Parina added that he has no plans to return to San Francisco and claimed that his nephew, who is an alcoholic, posed as his wife and posed as a widow.
He insisted he didn’t know how many people thought he was dead until a story about him was published last week.
The San Francisco Standard alleged that nearly all of the verifiable claims Parina made about his life were fabricated, including his alleged 21 military medals.
He insisted that he was a Vietnam veteran and that he wore a veteran’s cap to public meetings.
But he eventually admitted that he lied about growing up in the city, going to war in Vietnam and Iraq and receiving multiple Purple Hearts and a Silver Star.
“I screwed up and stole the fucking value,” Parina said. “And I put it in my hat and I regret it more than I ever did in my whole damn life.”
There were question marks over his claim to raise $1.3 million for a group called Catholic Alumni PAC.
He had said the money would be used to support local candidates. But she later revealed that she had “no idea” what happened to the money before revealing that she used some to buy medication while she was unwell.
Parina claimed it was her “adopted nephew” who spread rumors of her death after she raised $1.3 million for a political action committee.
San Francisco Board of Supervisors member Matt Dorsey (center), whose campaign Parina (third from left) supported as a volunteer, was shocked to learn of the allegations.
Parina was often seen joining volunteer groups to clean trash from the streets of San Francisco, and supported the impeachment of progressive prosecutor Chesa Boudin.
Donations came from retired police officers and firefighters, a North Beach restaurateur and former technology executives.
Parina confronted the holes in his claims and responded: ‘I don’t give a damn what you write.
“If you don’t think I’m credible, I don’t give a damn.” “I’m trying to give you an accurate description of what the fuck happened.”
Supervisor Dorsey said he was glad to know Parina is alive despite being “saddened” by the ordeal.
“If you ever need support or anything, it’s still there,” he said. “He didn’t need to invent anything to be appreciated in the community he worked hard to serve.”
But Anthony Anderson, who served in the military and works to expose those who lie about their military records, pointed out the damage caused by Parina.
The man who claims to be Parina’s nephew criticized the Standard investigation
“When someone falsely claims to have served in the military or exaggerates their accomplishments, it not only undermines the sacrifices made by true veterans but also demeans the value of the honors and awards they have earned,” he said.
‘These awards are some of the highest honors a service member can receive and represent significant sacrifices made in the service of their country.
“By falsely claiming these awards, Parina not only disrespected the veterans who earned them but also took advantage of the public’s trust and admiration for those who served.”
Before her fake death, Parina was often seen joining volunteer groups to clean up trash from the streets of San Francisco.
He also openly supported the successful 2022 campaign to unseat progressive District Attorney Chesa Boudin, accused of being soft on crime.