A former beauty queen faces a 32-count indictment accused of bilking mostly Filipino Americans out of some $7 million dollars in a ponzi scheme.
The IRS announced this week that Maria Dickerson, also known as Dulce Pino, sold interest in a shell company luring investors with “false promises.” The indictment from the Securities and Exchange Commission alleges the Filipino American paid monthly returns on the investment using money from later investors to pay early investors while channeling money to finance a lavish lifestyle for herself. They say she purchased, among other things, a Mercedes-Benz and a home in Sacramento, California.
The Rappler reports that she is described as a former Ms. Elite US Woman Achievement in Nevada on the group’s website.
“At the very beginning I was blinded,” said Geraldine Bartleson, a military wife who says Dickerson victimized her, reported ABC10 in San Diego.
Dickerson faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in jail and a $250,000 fine for each of the 24 counts of wire fraud.
In addition, on one count of securities fraud she faces a fine of $5 million and 20 years in prison.
“My friend told me about this investment company that gives 10% each month for you, if you invest. It’s like an investment company through accident lawyers,” Bartleson said.
She said she invested $80,000 in the company known as Creative Legal Fundings of California. Bartleson says she counted on that money for retirement as her husband is winding down his career in the Navy.
Most of the investors were Filipino Americans.
“She absolutely uses the culture, for sure, because she speaks Tagalog, which is the language of the Philippines or at least the primary — the main language of the Philippines. She attended all these Filipino events, where Filipinos gather of all types,” Bartleson’s attorney, Audie De Castro said.
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To be honest I don’t consider them Filipinos, majority of them have no idea what kind of life we experience here in the Philippines
Despite its appeal fading nearly everywhere else, Filipinos remain devoted to the art of pageantry.
Through her company Creative Legal Fundings, Maria ‘Dulce Pino’ Dickerson allegedly misused her investors’ money to fund a lavish lifestyle.