CHULA VISTA – Three individuals are facing federal charges after allegedly orchestrating a massive fraud scheme that deceived over 800 senior authors across the United States, stealing nearly $44 million by falsely promising to turn their books into bestsellers and Hollywood blockbusters.

Gemma Traya Austin, a resident of Chula Vista, along with Michael Cris Traya Sordilla and Bryan Navales Tarosa, both from the Philippines, are accused of running the scam through two companies: PageTurner, Press and Media LLC, a purported publishing house based in Chula Vista, and Innocentrix Philippines. According to the indictment, between 2017 and 2024, the trio contacted authors via unsolicited phone calls and emails, falsely claiming to offer deals with publishers, film studios, and streaming platforms.

The fraudsters convinced their victims to pay upfront fees for services like taxes and transactions, claiming these were necessary to publish their works or adapt them into films and TV series. FBI investigations revealed these promises were entirely fraudulent.

Sordilla and Tarosa were arrested in San Diego on December 9, 2024, while Austin was taken into custody on December 12, 2024, in Chula Vista. The three face charges of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. In addition, the FBI seized the PageTurner website: pageturner.us.

“The promise of a Hollywood dream turned into a devastating nightmare for the victims,” said federal prosecutor Tara McGrath. She emphasized the importance of investigating and being skeptical of any offer that requires upfront payments.

Stacey Moy, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in San Diego, stated that the accused not only harmed the publishing industry but also exploited vulnerable individuals. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service also highlighted its commitment to dismantling transnational fraud schemes targeting older adults.

The case remains under investigation, and authorities urge anyone who believes they were victimized by the PageTurner fraud scheme to report it to the FBI via email at AuthorFraud@fbi.gov or through the portal at ic3.gov. Additional support is available through the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11.

The defendants’ court hearing is pending, and they are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.