Jaime Mayorga, Wire Fraud Conspiracy, California 2024

Sacramento loan officers Jaime Mayorga, 40, and Ruben Rodriguez, 42, were found guilty Tuesday of conspiracy to commit wire fraud after a six-day federal trial, capping a years-long scheme that pumped false loan applications through Delta Homes & Lending, a now-defunct real estate firm that preyed on aspiring Latino homeowners.

According to U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott, Mayorga and Rodriguez falsified income, occupation, and savings data on mortgage applications, creating a paper trail of lies so unqualified borrowers could secure loans. The fraud didn’t stop there—straw buyers were recruited when credit scores fell short, and cash was temporarily deposited into borrower accounts just to pass lender scrutiny, only to be siphoned back days later.

Targeting the Latino community with Spanish-language ads boasting they were ‘Hispanics Serving Hispanics,’ Delta employees, including Mayorga and Rodriguez, canvassed flea markets and knocked on doors to drum up business. The company, founded by co-defendant Moctezuma ‘Mo’ Tovar, 49, of Sacramento, expanded from a single Enterprise Drive office to multiple branches across Northern and Southern California.

The scam was as profitable as it was predatory. Rodriguez admitted earning over $400,000 in 2006 alone. Mayorga, who shifted from salary to commission, claimed he took home more than $500,000 in 2005—banking 50 to 85% of brokerage fees on fraudulent deals. The total sales value of the homes tied to the conspiracy exceeded $10 million.

Financial fallout was severe. Lenders and institutions lost at least $4 million as mortgages defaulted, leaving neighborhoods littered with foreclosed properties. The fraud not only gutted banks but damaged communities that trusted Delta’s pitch of homeownership within reach.

Co-defendants Tovar, Manuel Herrera, 39, of Davis; Sandra Hermosillo, 57, of Woodland; and Jun Michael Dirain, 46, of Antelope, have all pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Christian Parada-Renteria, 43, of Woodland, pleaded guilty to two counts of concealing felonies and was sentenced to one year in prison. Mayorga and Rodriguez face up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine when sentenced on August 6 by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez. Sentencing dates for the remaining defendants are pending.

Related Federal Cases