United States Attorney Joseph P. Russoniello
  Northern District of California

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                     CONTACT:    JOSHUA EATON
April 23, 2008                                                                                                  (415) 436-6958   

WWW.USDOJ.GOV/USAO/CAN                                                               Josh.Eaton@usdoj.gov

MORTGAGE LENDER INDICTED FOR MAIL AND WIRE FRAUD IN CONNECTION WITH REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT SCHEME

SAN FRANCISCO - United States Attorney Joseph P. Russoniello announced that Cheryl Hernandez Camus of Concord, California made her initial appearance in federal court in San Francisco on April 22, 2008 before United States Magistrate Judge James Larson. A federal grand jury in San Francisco had previously indicted Ms. Camus on April 8, 2008 on charges of mail and wire fraud in connection with a Ponzi scheme. Ms. Camus is scheduled for her next appearance in federal court in San Francisco on April 29, 2008 before United States Magistrate Judge James Larson and on May 5, 2008 before United States District Judge Marilyn Hall Patel.

According to the indictment, Ms. Camus, 36, is alleged to have made a number of misrepresentations about a money lending investment, where she promised fixed returns and the return of the principle investment within a fixed period of time. The indictment alleges that Ms. Camus made one or more of the following material false representations and promises in order to induce the investor to give her money: