"Living Waters" (Orono, Minnesota)

USA / Minnesota / Orono / Orono, Minnesota / Bohns Point Road, 1535
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This is the "Living Waters" Estate, a home with a checkered history of past ownership (see below). This is one of the largest private residence in Minnesota. The mansion is 32,500 square feet. It has 9 bedrooms and 13 bathrooms. There is also an indoor swimming pool. The home is on the market for $9.5 million. The address is 1535 Bohns Point Road, Wayzata, MN.

According to "MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING -- Monday, October 10, 2005", the home was previously owned by A. LaFavre who was accused--but cleared--of massive criminal financial deals. According to the Star-Tribune's article, he bought the home from auto dealer Denny Hecker, who himself was sent to jail for massive criminal activities. Is a wonder that no one wanted the house?

Info on LaFarve:
www.startribune.com/business/11224211.html

Select quotes from Star Tribune article:
"He drove luxury cars, wore a Rolex watch and owned a $7.5 million mansion on Lake Minnetonka in Wayzata. [. . .] The IRS said in its affidavit that LaFavre reported no taxable income in 2003 and 2004, yet he made a $1.2 million down payment on a 32,000-square-foot Wayzata home in October 2004 and was to make monthly payments of $50,000 under a contract for deed. LaFavre bought the home from auto dealer Denny Hecker, and paid off the financing in less than three years, Hecker said."

Info on LaFavre's previous ownership, in the Orono City Minutes from '05, via Google cache.
www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=2&sqi=2&ved=0CBoQ...

Select quote from Orono City Minutes:
"[They] stated they have some issues dealing with a gate they would like to install on their property and that they would like to get this situation resolved."
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   44°57'0"N   93°36'20"W

Comments

  • the owner of this mansion is a fake. he screwed every person that worked on it!
  • man, that sucks! what a jerk.
  • As of fall 2010, this mansion has been torn down. It is no more.
  • This mansion was owned, in succession, by two major perpetrators of fraud in MN: Denny Hecker sold it to Adam LaFavre. Both were later accused of major financial scams; while LaFavre disappeared after the accusations, Hecker's own fiascoes have been well documented.
  • This home used to be owned by Rick Born of Born industries and he bought the home on action because the previous owner had gotten arrested for some type of fake coin dealing. When I did some work at this house at the time that Rick Born owned it the grounds keeper showed me that this house had secret passages out to the boat dock. But for anyone counting that makes THREE frauds that have owned this house.
  • Bill Ulrich built the house in 1982 he owned US Gold Coins selling "investment grade" coins on TV and promising returns. He was a regular Jethro Bodine with dyslexia and a 6th grade edumacation. He was skilled at surrounding himself with smart people to make things happen. He was found guilty of fraud by then MN atty general Skip Humphrey. At the time he built the house, it had a 8,000 square foot vault in the basement, larger than Norwest Bank's own vault downtown. Following his forfeiture of the property to the State of Minnesota, an agent of the state was sent to check on the state's asset from St. Paul for around two years until the state finally placed a (bachelor) Sheriff in the home to "look after" it (and party like a rock star). Later, Play it Again Sports founder Dick Enrico bought the property with a vision to create a "family compound" where his adult children could build homes and live.
  • Dick Enrico had nothing to do with Play it Again Sports. Dick is founder of 2nd Wind. The person you are thinking of is Ron Olson, who was President of Play It Again Sports at the time he bought the home.
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This article was last modified 9 years ago