SANTA ANA (CNS) - A Newport Beach couple charged with money laundering and other crimes for allegedly orchestrating a real estate fraud scheme that bilked lenders out of more than $5.9 million will be asked today to enter pleas.
Ronald Cedric Touchard, 59, was charged Wednesday with 62 counts of money laundering, along with three counts of grand theft and three counts of recording a false or forged document. His wife, Misty Denise Touchard, 43, was charged with five counts of money laundering and three counts of grand theft.
According to prosecutors, Ronald Touchard filed phony documents in Delaware claiming to be the sole officer of a Laguna Beach investment company called Capital Win Corporation and Gainquick LLC, then took over the titles of three Newport Beach homes he did not own.
Touchard allegedly convinced three lenders that he held the deed on the homes as the president of the investment company, and he was able to obtain equity loans of $5.9 million. He and his wife are accused of using the money to make large purchases, including a winery and a Land Rover.
The couple also allegedly moved the money among various bank accounts in an effort to avoid detection, prosecutors said.
The Touchards are scheduled to be arraigned in Santa Ana this morning.
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