'Real Housewives of Atlanta' Star Phaedra Parks' Ex-husband Apollo Still Owes $1.9 Million in Restitution to Fraud Victims, Court Docs Reveal

The federal government still thinks the hunky ex-husband of Real Housewives of Atlanta star Phaedra Parks may pose a ‘concrete danger’ to the public and should remain under court-ordered probation, RadarOnline.com can exclusively reveal.

Apollo Nida is pleading with a federal judge to terminate his 5-year probation early, but prosecutors are opposing the request because he still owes “the vast majority of the $1.9 million in restitution” to the victims of his wire fraud scheme that landed him in prison, according to court documents.

The feds admit they are leery of the $120,000 cash payments Nida made thus far to pay off the fine.

“In light of how difficult to detect the style of complex fraud he has practiced in the past is, it is very important to protect the public by maintaining the full deterrent effect of supervised release for as long as originally ordered,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Alana R. Black stated in a June 14, 2023, filing opposing to the early release.

In 2014, Nida, 44, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison for his role in a massive $2 million money laundering fraud scheme using a series of bank accounts.

Released in May 2019, Nida was ordered to complete five years’ probation. While Black admits Nida has behaved himself, the prosecutor remains dubious about the origins of the $120,000.

“Interestingly, all of the money orders were paid for in cash, even though the (U.S.) Postal Service allows the purchase of money orders with debit cards and people with bank accounts typically find that option more convenient,” Black wrote. “Nida’s choice to use cash to buy the restitution money orders is not illegal and does not mean that he is engaging in fraud.”

“However, that choice does effectively cut off the evidentiary chain that would otherwise allow the government to make further inquiries into the source of funds from which he is making the restitution payments.”

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Black argues that since Nida still owes more than $1 million in restitution, it may be best to keep him under the watchful eye of a probation officer until the court order supervision expires in 2024.

“Because of Nida’s demonstrated skill at carrying out complex fraud schemes that are difficult to detect, the deterrent effect presented by continued supervision is even more important,” said Black, who added, “There are concrete dangers to supervision being terminated too soon.”

In his motion for early release, the smooth-talking reality star argues he has, “maintained a stable residence with his now-wife and has successfully transitioned into society,” and established a “great relationship with his children.”