Federal prosecutors say a years-long publishing hustle that bled aspiring writers out of their savings is finally catching up with one of its key players.
Michael Sordilla pleaded guilty yesterday to his role in a sprawling book-publishing scam that officials say bilked more than 800 U.S. authors out of over $48 million, many of them older adults. According to investigators, the operation revolved around companies that dangled glossy promises of publishing deals and even film adaptations in exchange for hefty upfront fees that never delivered.
The plea was announced Thursday in a post by the FBI San Diego, which described Sordilla as a 34-year-old citizen of the Philippines who admitted his role in the scheme. The FBI said agents from its San Diego field office and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service worked the case, which federal authorities say harmed hundreds of authors nationwide and triggered financial losses topping $48 million.
❗GUILTY❗
— FBI San Diego (@FBISanDiego) May 7, 2026
As the result of an #FBISanDiego and @USPIS_LA investigation, Michael Sordilla, a 34-year-old citizen of the Philippines, pleaded guilty today, admitting his role in a book publishing scam that caused over $48 million in losses to more than 800 US victims, most of them… pic.twitter.com/m6ZxNBUMkG
Federal prosecutors first unsealed an indictment in January 2025, accusing PageTurner Press and affiliated companies of contacting authors with fake offers, then charging them for bogus taxes, marketing packages, and option fees. As reported by Hoodline, three were indicted in a $44 million scam, watchdogs, including Writer Beware, had warned authors about the operation for years.
Charges and next steps
Prosecutors in the Southern District of California have charged defendants in the PageTurner matter with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, each count carrying a potential maximum sentence of 20 years, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The case is listed as 3:24-cr-02712 and notes arrests in the San Diego area in December 2024, with court proceedings continuing as discovery and motions move forward.
Who was targeted and how to get help
Officials say most of the victims were older, aspiring authors who were pressured into paying for phony services and options that never materialized. The dream was a book deal, national publicity or a movie adaptation. What many got instead, prosecutors say, was a string of high-pressure calls and a drained bank account.
Victims and witnesses can call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 for assistance. The hotline and related victim resources are run through the Department of Justice’s elder justice efforts.
Why it matters locally
San Diego’s FBI field office led the inquiry that produced the indictment and now this guilty plea, underscoring the region’s role in unmasking transnational fraud operations that operate through overseas call centers and business-process firms. “The defendant and co-conspirators preyed on authors,” Mark Remily, special agent in charge of FBI San Diego, said in the agency's announcement.
Sentencing and restitution timetables will be handled in federal court as the case proceeds, and prosecutors say recovery for victims remains a priority. For deeper background on how publishing scams operate and how writers can protect themselves, see coverage from Publishers Weekly and watchdogs such as Writer Beware.
