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wo Minnesota real estate agents, Merl Groteboer and Chad Forga, have been charged in connection with a $35 million bank fraud scheme perpetrated by former Mayo Clinic nurse anesthetist Matthew Onofrio. Groteboer was charged with making false statements related to the scheme, while Forga faces conspiracy charges for allegedly working with Onofrio to commit bank fraud.

    Onofrio, who has pleaded guilty and must forfeit $35.7 million in ill-gotten gains, faces 121-151 months in prison under his plea agreement. He claimed to have made a successful transition from nursing to real estate, but federal prosecutors alleged that he defrauded banks by submitting false information and altering purchase agreements.

    Groteboer had a personal and business relationship with Onofrio, advising and assisting him on several property deals. He allegedly made false statements about Onofrio's dealings during an FBI interview in 2023. Groteboer declined to comment.

    Forga was charged for conspiring with Onofrio and others to obtain bank loans for commercial real estate between 2020-2022. Forga borrowed $26.2 million, but charges say he provided false information to lenders and concealed material facts. His attorney stated that Forga has cooperated with the investigation and worked to divest from properties obtained through Onofrio.

    A separate lawsuit filed by MidCountry Bank in 2023 claimed that Forga and his company falsified the purchase price of a commercial property and failed to make payments on a $9.7 million mortgage. The property was sold, but the proceeds fell short of what Forga owed, resulting in a $3.37 million judgment against him in March 2024.