Press Release Date:
May 21, 2010
District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Real Estate Fraud Prosecution Unit has filed a felony complaint against Alfonso Corona (DOB: 03/26/70) and Maricela Corona (DOB: 04/18/68) of Newbury Park, and, Mirna Carranza (DOB: 07/07/84) of Moorpark.
The felony complaint charges Mr. Corona with three counts of grand theft (Penal Code section 487) and one count of money laundering (Penal Code section 186.10). It is also alleged as to Mr. Corona that the crimes he committed are in violation of the aggravated white collar crime enhancement (Penal Code section 186.11(a)(2)) in that the crimes were related felonies, a material element of which is fraud, and that the taking was more than $500,000. An enhancement for taking in excess of $1,300,000 (Penal Code section 12022.6(a)(3)) was also alleged as to Mr. Corona. Mr. Corona faces a maximum term in custody of eight years, eight months if convicted on all counts alleged against him. The felony complaint charges Maricela Corona with eighteen counts comprised of twelve counts of grand theft (Penal Code section 487) and six counts of money laundering (Penal Code section 186.10). It is also alleged as to Mrs. Corona that the crimes she committed are in violation of the aggravated white collar crime enhancement (Penal Code section 186.11(a)(2)) in that the crimes were related felonies, a material element of which is fraud, and that the taking was more than $500,000. An enhancement for taking in excess of $1,300,000 (Penal Code section 12022.6(a)(3)) was also alleged as to Mrs. Corona. Mrs. Corona faces a maximum term in custody of 20 years if convicted on all counts alleged against her.
The felony complaint charges Mirna Carranza with seven counts comprised of four counts of grand theft (Penal Code section 487) and three counts of money laundering (Penal Code section 186.10). It is also alleged as to Ms. Carranza that the crimes she committed are in violation of the aggravated white collar crime enhancement (Penal Code section 186.11(a)(3)) in that the crimes were related felonies, a material element of which is fraud, and that the taking was more than $100,000 but less than $500,000. An enhancement for taking in excess of $200,000 (Penal Code section 12022.6(a)(2)) was also alleged as to Ms. Carranza. Ms. Carranza faces a maximum term in custody of 9 years, 8 months if convicted on all counts alleged against her.
The charges arise out of a series of real estate transactions performed by one or more of the charged defendants, all of whom are licensed real estate agents, in 2006 and 2007. The transactions involve fraudulent sales and financing schemes in regard to two properties in Simi Valley , one property in Moorpark and one property in Newbury Park . One aspect of the scheme involved the use of “secret seconds” which is the use of funds borrowed from private investors disguised as down payments for loans obtained on behalf of borrowers. In this scenario, both the lender and private investor are defrauded, since the lender is loaning funds against equity that does not in fact exist and the private investor’s loan is not secured by a recorded deed of trust authorized by the lender. After the purchase loan had funded, the defendants arranged multiple home equity lines of credit secured by the properties without disclosing to these secondary lenders the borrowed down payments nor that other lenders were processing similar loans to be secured by the same property. Financial analysis of these transactions revealed over 2.6 million dollars had been financed in this scheme and that the properties were encumbered by debts well above their values. To date, losses have been calculated in excess of 1.7 million dollars. Commissions earned from these transactions are estimated at $121,850. The defendants were employed by CRT Real Estate Group Limited, which was operated by broker Terrance George Tucker (DOB 8/20/44), a.k.a. Terry Tucker. Terry Tucker and wife Cheri Tucker (DOB 8/24/44) are currently serving twelve year prison sentences following a 2009 federal prosecution for bank and wire fraud which arose from substantially similar conduct.
Mr. and Mrs. Corona were arrested in Newbury Park , California on May 21, 2010 in an operation conducted by the Ventura County District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation, Ventura County Sheriff’s Department Civil/Warrants Detail and United States Secret Service. Mirna Carranza was arrested on May 21, 2010 in an operation conducted by the Ventura County District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation, Ventura County Sheriff’s Department Civil/Warrants Detail and United States Secret Service. The crimes charged in the felony complaint are alleged to have occurred during the period of February 2005 through November 2007. Alfonso Corona, Maricela Corona and Mirna Carranza are licensed real estate agents in the State of California .
Bail was set at $70,000 by Ventura County Superior Court Judge Walsh for Mr. and Mrs. Corona, who are currently in custody at the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department main jail in Ventura , California. Bail was set at $50,000 by Ventura County Superior Court Judge Walsh for Ms. Carranza, who is currently in custody at the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department main jail in Ventura, California .
The felony complaint described above and arrests effectuated on May 21, 2010, are the result of a long-term investigation conducted by the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Bureau of Investigation Economic Crimes Unit and the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Real Estate Fraud.
Contact:
Dominic Kardum, Deputy District Attorney
(805)662-1739