SANTA ANA, Calif. (CN) — An Irvine attorney pleaded guilty Monday to a federal charge of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud in a $6 million mortgage modification scam.
Ronald Rodis, 51, will be sentenced on Feb. 27, 2017.
He admitted he conspired with Bryan D'Antonio, Charles Wayne Farris and others to charge distressed homeowners $3,500 to $5,500 apiece up front in a telemarketing fraud.
They claimed in radio ads that the Rodis Law Group had "a team of experienced attorneys" who were "highly skilled in negotiating lower interest rates and even lowering your principal balance," the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a statement announcing the plea.
In fact, his law office was a telemarketing operation that never had a team of experienced attorneys; most of the time it only had Rodis, prosecutors said.
"The promises were bogus," U.S. Attorney Eileen Decker said in the statement. "Rodis Law Group made few efforts to assist homeowners, who paid thousands of dollars in last-ditch attempts to keep their homes, many of which entered foreclosure."
Rodis's co-defendants, D'Antonio and Faris, are to go to trial on Sept. 20. Both are charged with conspiracy and nine counts of wire fraud. D'Antonio also is charged with 13 counts of criminal contempt for violating a 2001 federal court order permanently barring him from telemarketing. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison.
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