$44 million stolen from authors in fake book and movie deal scheme, feds say

Three people are accused of stealing $44 million from more than 800 aspiring authors by offering bogus book, television and movie deals, federal officials said.

A federal grand jury indicted one person in Chula Vista, California, and two in the Philippines in the scam, which ran from 2017 to 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California said in a Jan. 15 news release.

Peter Blair, the attorney for the Chula Vista woman accused in the case, told McClatchy News that she did not play a major role in running the business. The attorneys for the other two defendants did not immediately respond to a request for comment Jan. 16.

Operating as PageTurner, Press and Media LLC, they falsely claimed the company worked with “literary agents, major motion picture studios and popular video streaming services,” prosecutors said.

They convinced aspiring authors, many of whom were older adults, that publishers and movie studios were interested in acquiring their books, prosecutors said.

They then convinced victims to pay up-front fees, such as “pre-payment of taxes and transaction fees,” before the supposed deals could proceed, prosecutors said.

They are charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy, prosecutors said.

“What started with the promise of a Hollywood dream turned into a devastating nightmare for victims,” U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath said in the release.

“Authors should stay vigilant, do their research, and think twice before giving money to anyone promising a blockbuster deal,” McGrath said.

Anyone who believes they may have been a victim of the scam should contact the FBI at AuthorFraud@fbi.gov.

Chula Vista is about a 10-mile drive southeast from San Diego.

This story was originally published January 16, 2025 at 5:32 PM with the headline "$44 million stolen from authors in fake book and movie deal scheme, feds say."