Los Angeles Woman Charged With Mechanic’s Lien Fraud

The Los Angeles County District Attorney charged a Beverly Hills woman with 25 felony counts of real estate fraud.

County D.A. Nathan Hochman charged 58-year-old Rita Ortiz in an “egregious” case of alleged real estate fraud, KTLA and Realtor.com reported. Ortiz faces more than 24 years in state prison if convicted.

Ortiz was charged in connection to falsely filed mechanic’s liens accusing Los Angeles County homeowners of $568 million in unpaid contracting work.

Ortiz allegedly filed 24 mechanic’s liens and one grant deed against 10 properties in Los Angeles County between September 2023 and last month. The liens incorrectly claimed that property owners owed Ortiz amounts ranging from $800,000 to $98 million, even though the self-proclaimed “queen of real estate” never worked for or met them, Realtor.com reported.

“The homeowner victims in this case cannot sell their property until these liens are cleared,” Hochman told KTLA. “Once convicted, we will additionally seek a court order to clear title for all who have been victimized by the defendant.”

Ortiz pleaded not guilty to 25 felony counts of aggravated felony forgery. Her bail was set at $700,000. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 12 at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in downtown Los Angeles.

Ortiz’s arrest is among the latest real estate-related fraud cases to emerge in Los Angeles in recent days.

Last week, news broke that the Marin County District Attorney’s Office is investigating Novato-based lender Pacific Private Money Incorporated, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

The firm allegedly pooled investor capital to fund loans typically carrying interest rates between 8.5 and 12 percent, pitching them as real estate-backed investments offering steady returns. More than $100 million of investor money could likely be lost, according to the Chronicle.

— Chris Malone Méndez