Two owners of an Oregon-based real estate investment firm stand accused of committing widespread fraud, allegedly bilking lenders and investors out of more than $18 million.
Robert Christensen and Anthony Matic are facing 21 counts in a federal indictment unsealed this week, Oregon Live reported. The pair are accused of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. Investors were allegedly bilked out of $11.4 million, while commercial lenders lost out on more than $7 million.
Beginning in 2019, the two allegedly spent more than four years misleading investors in their residential real estate business over the health of their company and how investments were being used, according to the indictment.
While Christensen and Matic said money was going towards buying and renovating undervalued Midwest properties — which would then be rented out — they actually used new investments to pay off earlier investors, the indictment stated.
The owners also allegedly convinced investors they would be repaid their full principal contributions, plus interest of up to 15 percent, within 30- or 90-day periods. Behind the scenes, that evidently wasn’t possible as the business was “underwater” and in “survival mode,” the indictment stated.
Christensen often touted his experience in real estate, which went back 20 years, according to the indictment. Matic had been a licensed real estate agent for more than 15 years. The two operated a number of businesses: The Commission PDX LLC, Foresee Inc., The Policy PDX LLC and Innings 150 LLC.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission launched an investigation into the men for violating federal securities law, filing a complaint against the two last year. The two agreed to pay $5.4 million in settlements with the SEC, but didn’t admit to wrongdoing.
Christensen and Matic both pleaded not guilty in their first appearances before the judge in the criminal case. A trial is scheduled to begin in late October.
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