Richard Parina: San Francisco activist accused of staging his death after raising $1.3M in donations

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA: According to a San Francisco activist, the reports of his death were false and for the past six weeks, he has been living in Mexico.

Claiming to be a retired Army brigadier general with three Purple Hearts, Richard Parina, 78, reported died in January due to injuries he sustained during the Persian Gulf War. 

However, he has since confirmed to the San Francisco Standard that he is still alive by sharing a picture of himself sporting a clean shave and a t-shirt from a neighborhood cleanup group.

Richard Parina claims his adopted nephew spread rumors about his death

According to Daily Mail, Parina stated that after raising $1.3 million for a political action committee, his "adopted nephew" spread rumors about his death. "If he just kept his big mouth shut, nobody would have paid any attention," he said.

However, earlier this week, he is said to have sent an email to a San Francisco-based associate stating that although he was near death in San Jose del Cabo, "the golf and food is super."

Parina was last seen in public when he attended a District 9 supervisorial debate at the Mission District bar El Rio on January 17.

Richard Francis posted the following on X (on now deleted account) the day after, "My uncle, Brigadier General (ret) Richard Parina died on January 17, 2024, the 33rd Anniversary of Operation Desert Storm, where he commanded the 175th Forward Supply Battalion, attached to the 1st Armored Division. He was awarded his third Purple Heart and second Bronze Star."

In a speech at a Board of Supervisors meeting, Supervisor Matt Dorsey commended Parina amid the flood of condolences. However, Parina disclosed that he has been residing in Mexico and attributed the false information to his nephew.

"He created all these characters. It's crazy, man. Out of thin f**ked air," he exclaimed.

Richard Parina claimed his 21 military medals were faked

Parina went on to say that he had no intention of going back to San Francisco and that his drunken nephew had fooled around pretending to be his widow.

He maintained that until a story about him was published last week, he had no idea how many people believed he had passed away.

According to The San Francisco Standard, almost all of Parina's credible claims about his life—including his purported 21 military medals—were made up.

At public gatherings, he wore a veteran ballcap and insisted he was a veteran of the Vietnam War.

Eventually, though, he acknowledged that he had lied about being a city kid, fighting in Vietnam and Iraq, and winning several Purple Hearts and a Silver Star.

"I f**ked up and stole f****** valor," Parina said. "And I put it on my hat, and I'm as sorry as I've ever been in my whole f**ked life that I did that."

His claim to have raised $1.3 million for the Catholic Alumni PAC was met with skepticism. He had stated that local candidates would be supported with the funds.

However, he later acknowledged that he had "no idea" what happened to the money and then disclosed that he had used some of it to purchase medicine while he was ill.

Richard Parina accused of stealing military honors and awards

Retired fire and police officers, a restaurateur in North Beach, and former tech executives were among those who donated. When Parina was made aware of the gaps in his statements, he said, "I don't give a f**k what you write."

"If you don't think I'm credible, I don't give a s*** I'm trying to give you an accurate portrayal of what the f**k happened," he added.

Although "saddened" by the ordeal, Supervisor Dorsey expressed his gratitude that Parina is still alive. "If he ever needs support or anything, it's still there," he stated.

"He didn't need to make anything up to be appreciated in the community he worked hard to serve," he added.

However, Parina's damage to society was highlighted by Anthony Anderson, a veteran of the military who works to expose those who fabricate their military service records.

"When someone falsely claims to have served in the military or exaggerates their accomplishments, it not only undermines the sacrifices made by real veterans but also cheapens the value of the honors and awards they have earned," he stated.

"These awards are some of the highest honors a service member can receive, and they represent significant sacrifices made in service to their country," he added.

"By falsely claiming these awards, Parina not only disrespected the veterans who have earned them but also took advantage of the public's trust and admiration for those who have served," Anderson said.

Parina was frequently spotted working with volunteer organizations to remove trash from San Francisco's streets before his staged death.

Additionally, he was a vocal supporter of the successful recall effort in 2022 against progressive District Attorney Chesa Boudin, who was charged with becoming a soft touch when it came to crime.