Beverly Hills ‘Queen of Real Estate’ filed $568 million in fake liens
Rita Cedeno Ortiz, a Beverly Hills woman who refers to herself as the “queen of real estate,” has recently been charged with filing fraudulent multimillion-dollar liens against homeowners in Los Angeles County. The charges against Ortiz include 25 counts of aggravated felony forgery, highlighting the risks that homeowners face from phony mechanic’s liens.
Mechanic’s liens are legal claims against a property that can be filed by individuals who have performed construction or improvement work on the property but were not compensated. In California, these liens can be filed through a simple form at the county recorder’s office, and having liens attached to a property can prevent it from being sold or refinanced.
Ortiz allegedly abused this process by filing numerous fraudulent liens, claiming that homeowners owed her tens of millions of dollars for work she had never actually done. Despite the lack of any contractual agreement or actual services provided, Ortiz filed these liens against unsuspecting homeowners.
On social media, Ortiz portrays herself as a “real estate coach” and the “queen of real estate,” even claiming the title of “honorary mayor elect” of Panorama City. She is the founder and CEO of Ortiz Consulting LLC, a firm based in Beverly Hills.
Recent investigations have revealed that Ortiz Consulting LLC has filed 35 mechanic’s liens since 2023, totaling over $568 million in claims of unpaid work. One victim, Marjorie Josaphat, discovered liens totaling more than $100 million attached to a property she had purchased in Benedict Canyon. The liens claimed exorbitant fees for services such as cleaning and business consulting, despite Josaphat never having engaged with Ortiz.
Josaphat, a professional home flipper, was shocked to find these liens when preparing to sell the property she had purchased for renovation. Ortiz also filed similar bogus liens for cleaning services on neighboring properties, further perplexing the homeowners who had no association with her.
In response to the allegations, Ortiz defended herself, claiming that she had agreements with the homeowners and had worked for them for over ten years. She alleged that the neighbors had stolen her property and destroyed it multiple times.
Following the exposure of these fraudulent activities, Ortiz was evicted from her rental unit in Los Angeles, a property where she had also filed massive liens. She was subsequently arrested and is currently held at the Century Regional Detention Facility on a $700,000 bond.
The case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Shiho June Miyagishima, and an arraignment hearing was scheduled for Monday. However, records do not show that Ortiz has entered a plea in the case. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office did not respond to requests for comment, and Ortiz does not have a listed attorney at this time.
