SAN DIEGO, CA – A federal grand jury has indicted three individuals accused of defrauding elderly authors across the United States out of nearly $44 million through a book publishing scam that falsely promised to turn their books into blockbuster films and television series. The defendants are charged with conspiring to commit mail and wire fraud, as well as money laundering.
The scheme, which ran from September 2017 to December 2024, involved Gemma Traya Austin, the organizer and registered agent of PageTurner, Press and Media LLC in Chula Vista, California. Austin allegedly worked with Michael Cris Traya Sordilla and Bryan Navales Tarosa, both executives at Innocentrix Philippines, a business process outsourcing company.
According to the indictment, the conspirators used PageTurner to falsely claim they were a legitimate publishing business with ties to literary agents, Hollywood movie studios, and streaming platforms. They misled authors by convincing them their books had been selected for acquisition and required upfront payments for taxes, transaction fees, and other services before any publishing or film options could be made.
Prosecutors state that the scam targeted over 800 victims who collectively lost more than $44 million. The FBI’s investigation led to the arrests of Sordilla and Tarosa on December 9, 2024, in San Diego, and Austin was arrested three days later in Chula Vista. The FBI also seized the PageTurner website (pageturner.us) as part of their investigation.
U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath remarked, “What started with the promise of a Hollywood dream turned into a devastating nightmare for victims. Authors should be vigilant and thoroughly research before giving money to anyone promising blockbuster deals.”
FBI officials emphasized that fraud, especially targeting elderly citizens, remains a major focus, with FBI Special Agent Stacey Moy stating that fraud schemes like this cause severe financial harm to victims. Matt Shields, from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, added that their team remains committed to disrupting fraud rings, particularly those that exploit vulnerable populations.
The case is still under investigation, with the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service working to hold the perpetrators accountable and warn the public about similar scams.
