A federal grand jury has indicted Maria Dickerson, also known as Dulce Pino of Sacramento, California on a 32-count indictment, including charges of wire fraud, securities fraud, and money laundering, announced U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert on Tuesday. The indictment was unsealed after her arrest.
In 2020, the same year she won a Ms. Woman Nevada pageant, Dickerson registered a business in California under the name Creative Legal Fundings. Authorities claim she misrepresented her business, which allegedly duped investors by falsely claiming to lend money to attorneys for personal injury lawsuits. Dickerson reportedly promised fixed returns and suggested financial backing from prominent executives, including a multinational casino company CEO.
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According to the indictment, from 2020 to 2024, Dickerson, a Filipino American, allegedly targeted fellow Filipinos in her fraudulent schemes, and used investor funds to repay earlier investors, maintaining a Ponzi scheme that amassed approximately $10 million from 140 investors.
The indictment also stated that Dickerson used that money to fund a lavish lifestyle, and purchase luxury items including Mercedes-Benz vehicles and a home. She did not register the securities with the Securities and Exchange Commission, collecting millions of dollars under false pretenses.
The Securities and Exchange Commission is pursuing a parallel action against Dickerson, while the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency of the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation previously issued a Desist and Refrain Order against her.
If convicted, Dickerson faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each wire fraud count, up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each money laundering count, and up to 20 years in prison and a $5 million fine for securities fraud.