PORTLAND, Ore. -- A former Portland mortgage broker described as "the perfect con man" has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for a $5 million fraud scheme.

Clifford Brigham argued he was doing the same thing as many commercial lenders in the subprime mortgage market by accepting falsified loan applications -- but he claimed he was prosecuted partly because he's black.

U.S. District Judge Anna Brown rejected that argument, saying it was just an excuse to cover up his own responsibility for preying on vulnerable people and wiping out their life's savings.

Brown called Brigham "utterly without remorse" and "unrepentant." She also rejected his claims that he was the subject of a "witch hunt" by federal prosecutors, saying they were "completely without foundation."

Brigham read a lengthy and emotional statement during his sentencing on Monday, recalling a number of encounters with racism in his native Texas and the South.

He also pointed out there was testimony at his trial that many mortgage lenders knew they were accepting falsified loan applications or "liar loans" but have not been prosecuted.

The judge agreed that Brigham suffered some "horrific" experiences during his childhood and that falsified loan applications may have been widespread in the subprime mortgage market.

"But honestly, it isn't any excuse for the criminal behavior for which you've been convicted," Brown said.

One of the prosecutors in the case -- who is also black -- called Brigham's arguments "offensive."

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kemp Strickland said that even when some rapists and murderers are sentenced "there is a point when they turn around and say I'm sorry" to victims or their families.

"There really isn't any regret or remorse for those people here," Strickland said.

Before his arrest, the 60-year-old Brigham was living in a million-dollar home overlooking the Columbia River Gorge.

A federal jury convicted Brigham last November on 21 counts of wire and mail fraud, money laundering and Social Security fraud.

Brigham was charged with obtaining nearly 30 home loans totaling more than $5 million and diverting hundreds of thousands of dollars from the loans to himself and a co-defendant.

Brigham paid people with good credit, or "straw buyers," to complete mortgage loan applications and purchase homes, assuring them he would make the mortgage payments for them.

When he failed to make payments, the banks came calling for their loans and foreclosed, ruining the credit of many of the buyers.

In a sentencing memo, Assistant U.S. Attorney Dwight Holton said Brigham's history of fraud went back 20 years and he had been repeatedly under investigation by state regulators.

"He has in his lifetime conned hundreds of people," Holton said in the memo.

Brigham committed the latest mortgage fraud while he was appealing his 2003 federal conviction for other loan-related fraud.