Beverly Hills ‘Queen of Real Estate’ filed $568 million in phony liens
A Beverly Hills woman who dubbed herself the “queen of real estate” has been charged with filing dozens of fraudulent multimillion-dollar liens against homeowners across Los Angeles County.
Rita Cedeno Ortiz, 58, was arrested on February 26 and faces 25 counts of aggravated felony forgery, according to booking and charging records obtained by Realtor.com.
The unusual case underscores the risks homeowners face from phony mechanic’s liens—legal claims against a property that can be filed by someone who allegedly performed construction or improvement work and wasn’t paid.
In California, mechanic’s liens can be submitted via a simple form at the county recorder’s office. A home with liens typically cannot be sold or refinanced until the claims are resolved, and disputing fraudulent filings can be costly and time-consuming.
Prosecutors allege that Ortiz exploited the system, filing numerous bogus liens claiming she was owed tens of millions of dollars by homeowners she had never worked for—or even met. On social media, Ortiz calls herself a “real estate coach” and the “queen of real estate,” and has claimed the title of “honorary mayor elect” of Panorama City, a neighborhood in Los Angeles.
Public records show Ortiz is the founder and CEO of Ortiz Consulting LLC, a company listed on Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. A recent KABC investigation revealed that the firm has filed 35 mechanic’s liens since 2023, totaling more than $568 million in alleged unpaid work.
One affected homeowner, Marjorie Josaphat, says she was shocked to discover multiple liens exceeding $100 million attached to a home she purchased last year in Benedict Canyon. The claims, filed by Ortiz Consulting LLC, cited elaborate fees for “cleaning services” and “business consulting services.”
Josaphat, a professional home flipper, bought the three-bedroom, 1,400-square-foot property to renovate and only learned of the liens when preparing to sell it.
“I don’t know who Rita Ortiz is,” Josaphat told KABC. “This place was abandoned. There’s nothing to clean. If she did a job worth $24 million, then she owes me money because the place was a real mess.”
Ortiz allegedly filed similar multimillion-dollar liens for “cleaning services” on two neighboring homes, leaving the neighbors puzzled as they had never hired her. In text messages to KABC, Ortiz defended her actions, claiming: “I have Business and projects with the owners, I did work for them with protects over 10 years, after hard work the owners discriminated me did not paid me.”
She also claimed to be the victim, stating: “For all Benedict Canyon Dr., the neighbors stole my property when I have agreement with the bank. I cleaning this property for around 10 years working for this property for over 10 years, they neighbors Benedict Canyon Dr. destroyed my property several times.”
Following the revelations, Ortiz was evicted from her rental unit on Glendon Avenue in Los Angeles, a property she had also filed massive liens against.
Ortiz remains in custody at the Century Regional Detention Facility on a $700,000 bond, according to booking records. Deputy District Attorney Shiho June Miyagishima is prosecuting the case. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office did not respond to requests for comment.
Court records do not list an attorney representing Ortiz. An arraignment was scheduled for Monday, but records show she has not yet entered a plea.
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