Logo courtesy of IRS Criminal Investigation

SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - Maria Dickerson, also known as “Dulce Pino,” “Maria Dulce Pino Dickerson,” and “Dulce Brubaker,” 49, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty March 10 to one count of wire fraud and one count of securities fraud, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, from 2020 through 2024, Dickerson created an investment scheme through which she sold interests in an illusory shell company, Creative Legal Fundings of CA (CLF), to investors. Dickerson promised investors that their investments were safe and secure, and backed by substantial starting capital. To appear credible and to attract investors, Dickerson falsely claimed to some investors that CLF was associated with a multinational casino and resort corporation’s CEO. She promised investors at least a 10% rate of return per month on their principal investment with additional compounding monthly interest if they left their money invested with her.

In reality, Dickerson did not register the sale of her securities with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and she used new investor money to pay off older investors and to fund a lavish lifestyle. This lavish lifestyle included vacations, gambling, private jet travel, as well as high-end purchases like Mercedes-Benz vehicles and a home in Sacramento. Through her false statements, Dickerson induced approximately 156 investors to contribute more than $10 million to her scheme.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and IRS Criminal Investigation are conducting the investigation with assistance from the Alabama Securities Commission. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dhruv M. Sharma is prosecuting the case.

Dickerson is scheduled to be sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on July 28. She faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the wire fraud count, and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $5 million on the securities fraud count. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.