The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) cracked down on an international fraud scheme involving more than 800 victims who collectively lost more than $44 million dollars.
According to the Department of Justice, three individuals have been charged by a federal grand jury with defrauding elderly authors across the US. The scheme involved convincing victims that their books were set to be adapted into blockbuster films or widely published, contingent on upfront fees.
The indictment names Gemma Traya Austin of Chula Vista as the mastermind and registered agent of PageTurner, Press and Media LLC, a company purporting to offer publishing services. Michael Cris Traya Sordilla and Bryan Navales Tarosa, both from the Philippines, served as executives at Innocentrix Philippines, a business process outsourcing firm.
The scammers operated the domain name Pageturner.us which has been seized.
Copyright © 2025 DomainGang.com · All Rights Reserved.“As alleged, the defendants’ actions not only jeopardized the integrity of the publishing industry, but also took advantage of innocent professionals and defrauded them of their hard-earned money,” said FBI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy, adding: “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, educate the public, and ultimately hold individuals behind these schemes accountable.”