A California woman, Maria Dickerson, has been charged by the U.S. Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for allegedly operating a $7 million Ponzi scheme. The scheme targeted the Filipino-American community across the United States, using a fake litigation fund for personal injury attorneys. Dickerson, a former beauty queen, faces a 32-count indictment, including charges of wire fraud, securities fraud, and money laundering. The federal grand jury returned the indictment on September 3, 2024.