SAN DIEGO, Calif., May 17 -- The U.S. Department of Justice's Federal Bureau of Investigation's San Diego Field Office issued the following press release:
SAN DIEGO - Michael Cris Traya Sordilla, a 34-year-old citizen of the Philippines, pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that he conspired to perpetrate a book publishing scam that caused losses of over $48 million to more than 800 victims throughout the United States.
Sordilla is the first of four defendants to admit his role in a scheme that targeted authors - most of them seniors - by promising to elevate their work to major publishing deals and Hollywood film adaptations, all in exchange for millions of dollars in fraudulent fees.
According to his plea agreement, Sordil...