SAN DIEGO, CA — A federal grand jury has indicted three individuals, including two Filipinos, for orchestrating a fraudulent scheme that defrauded elderly authors across the United States out of nearly $44 million. 

The alleged scam promised victims lucrative publishing and film deals for their books in exchange for upfront payments. 

The suspects, identified as Gemma Traya Austin, 58, of Chula Vista, and Michael Cris Traya Sordilla, 32, and Bryan Navales Tarosa, 34, both from the Philippines, were arrested in December 2024. Austin, described as the organizer and registered agent of PageTurner, Press and Media LLC, was taken into custody in Chula Vista, while Sordilla and Tarosa, executives of the Philippines-based outsourcing company Innocentrix, were arrested in San Diego. 

According to the indictment, the defendants exploited unsuspecting authors by posing as representatives of a legitimate book publishing business, PageTurner. They allegedly contacted victims via unsolicited calls and emails, falsely claiming that PageTurner collaborated with major publishing houses and film studios. The defendants further misled victims by stating that their books had been selected for acquisition by publishers or movie studios, contingent on the victims paying various fees, such as pre-paid taxes and transaction costs. 

From September 2017 to December 2024, the scheme is alleged to have targeted over 800 victims, many of them elderly, who collectively lost more than $44 million.

“What started with the promise of a Hollywood dream turned into a devastating nightmare for victims,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “Authors should stay vigilant, do their research, and think twice before giving money to anyone promising a blockbuster deal.”

 FBI Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy emphasized the scale of the fraud, stating, “Fraud remains one of the most devastating violations the FBI works due to the number of victims and staggering amount of loss. We will continue our efforts to disrupt fraud schemes and hold individuals behind these schemes accountable.” 

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service also condemned the scheme, noting its exploitation of older Americans. Inspector in Charge Matt Shields said the agency remains committed to dismantling foreign-based fraud operations that target vulnerable populations.

CHARGES AND PENALTIES

The defendants face charges of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, which carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. They are also charged with conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, which could result in an additional 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $500,000 or twice the amount laundered.

HOW TO REPORT FRAUD

Authorities encourage anyone who believes they are a victim of the PageTurner scam to contact the FBI at AuthorFraud@fbi.gov. Elderly victims of financial fraud can also seek assistance through the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 or report incidents online at the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (www.ic3.gov).

The suspects remain in custody and are considered innocent until proven guilty. The FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are leading the investigation.