Filipino ex-pageant queen accused of running Ponzi scheme

Maria “Dulce Pino” Dickerson, a former Filipino pageant queen, was arrested and charged with 24 counts of wire fraud, one count of securities fraud and seven counts of money laundering for allegedly running a Ponzi scheme targeting members of the Filipino American community.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission alleges that Dickerson raised approximately $7 million from over 130 investors, promising them returns as high as 10% to 17.5% per month through fraudulent securities offerings via her purported shell companies, Creative Legal Fundings and The Ubiquity Group. Dickerson allegedly claimed that the money would be used to provide loans to personal injury attorneys to fund their lawsuits and that Creative Legal Fundings would then receive a portion of the settlements or recoveries. Instead, she used money from new investors to pay earlier ones to keep the scheme going, according to the complaint. She is also accused of using investors’ money to fund her lifestyle, including expenses related to gambling, cars and properties totaling at least $2.5 million.