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Grand Jury Overview

Gasio v. Tran et al. — Verified Lease Fraud & Coordinated Eviction Scheme

Summary of Authenticated Evidence, Applicable Federal and State Law, and Public-Interest Basis for Probable Cause

Case No. OC Superior Court 30-2024-01410991-CL-UD-CJC Jurisdiction: Orange County, California Evidence Portal: gasiomirror.com Prepared: 2025–2026  |  Michael Gasio, Submitter
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18 U.S.C. § 1030 — CFAA
18 U.S.C. § 1341 — Mail Fraud
18 U.S.C. § 1343 — Wire Fraud
18 U.S.C. § 2511 — Wiretap Act

What the Case Is About

This matter concerns a residential tenancy in Orange County, California, in which rent was paid, electronically confirmed, and acknowledged in writing — and the occupants were nonetheless subjected to a fraudulent three-day notice and forced eviction. The record demonstrates that rent funds were misdirected to a personal account rather than a licensed trust account; that a cashier's check tendered during the cure window was deliberately withheld; and that the property was subsequently converted to short-term rental use at rates 54–58% above the prior market lease.

The question before the grand jury is whether these acts — when traced across multiple named individuals, real estate licenses, business entities, and documented communications — constitute a coordinated pattern of fraud and deprivation of rights under federal and state law.

Named Parties and Their Roles

Phat L. Tran
Property Owner / Landlord
Executed lease; issued fraudulent three-day notice; directed rent to personal account; stated in writing he was evicting to raise rent. Multiple variable-rate loans; financially distressed at time of tenancy. Presented a repair bill dated the month before tenancy began.
Hanson Le
DRE License #01358448 · BHHS Agent
DocuSign Envelope #46CC8725 routed tenant payments to Le's personal Wells Fargo account. Signed for USPS Tracking #9534914882764149935944 at BHHS on May 30, 2024 (signature "H.H."). Texted by Tran during the three-day cure window, confirming knowledge of tendered cashier's check. Subsequently left BHHS; invoked Fifth Amendment with HBPD.
Steven D. Silverstein
Eviction Attorney
Filed unlawful detainer on defective three-day notice served in a single envelope (CCP § 1162 jurisdictional defect). Final trial question to tenant: "did you cash the check?" Tenant answered no. Silverstein co-signed written acknowledgment that no prior repayment had occurred — tenant forced to pay a second time under written protest.
Dennis Rosas & Angie Sandoval
BHHS Branch Managers
Supervised the transaction in which rent was routed through a licensee's personal account in violation of DRE trust account requirements. Named in DRE Complaint No. 1-24-0513-010.
Anna Ly
AP Silk Arts Inc. — Tran's Daughter
Linked via corporate records to Tran; associated with post-eviction property management and financial instruments related to the property. Confirmed connection to defendant network.
Thao Tran
Tran's Daughter
Public records show direct association with Hanson Le. Part of the identified defendant network; relevant to financial relationships between Tran and Le households.
Richard Rosiak (Prior Counsel)
Withdrew as Defense Counsel
Withdrawal letter arrived in tenant's mailbox Friday, January 10, 2025 — three days before Monday trial (January 13, 2025). Claimed re-entry was "not legally permitted," confirmed false under California procedure. CA State Bar formal disciplinary proceeding now open.
LY Construction
Fictitious Invoice Source
A fabricated damage invoice was submitted to support eviction. No corresponding legitimate repair work has been verified.

Core Evidentiary Anchors

The following authenticated exhibits form the evidentiary backbone. All are accessible at gasiomirror.com (1,400+ indexed exhibits) and maintained in secure Google Drive storage (5,000+ case files).

Exhibit / Tracking Reference What It Proves Significance
DocuSign #46CC8725 Routed tenant rent payments to Hanson Le's personal Wells Fargo account — not to a licensed real estate trust account as required by California law. Wire Fraud DRE Violation
USPS #9534914882764149935944
Signed "H.H." at BHHS
May 30, 2024
Hanson Le personally received the mailed cashier's check. A check not payable to him cannot legally be cashed. His receipt — combined with Tran's text to Le during the cure window — proves Le knew the funds were tendered and available. Mail Fraud Concealment
Tran-to-Le Text
(Three-Day Cure Window)
Tran contacted Le during the cure period, establishing both parties had knowledge that the cashier's check was available and uncashed. Undermines any claim that the three-day notice was issued in good faith. Conspiracy Willful Concealment
Security Deposit Check
(Sealed, Uncashed)
Tran deposited tenant's security deposit check on the 28th, claims he mailed it back around the 2nd — a 4–5 day hold. Tenant never received or cashed it. The sealed, uncashed check is being preserved for forensic fingerprint analysis in criminal proceedings. Tenant was forced to pay a second time under written protest; Silverstein and Tran both co-signed acknowledging no prior repayment had occurred. Extortion Double Collection
Dishwasher Repair Invoice
(Pre-Tenancy Date)
Tran presented a repair bill dated the month before the tenant moved in. Tenant cooperatively paid the difference plus $350. This establishes Tran was billing for pre-tenancy damage — bad faith from the inception of the lease. Bad Faith Pre-Tenancy Fraud
Airbnb Conversion
Post-Eviction Listings
After eviction, the property was converted to short-term rental use at 54–58% above the prior market rate. Establishes financial motive for the fraudulent eviction scheme. Financial Motive Pattern Evidence
LY Construction Invoice A fabricated damage invoice was submitted to support the eviction proceeding. No legitimate repair work has been verified corresponding to this invoice. Fabricated Evidence Perjury Support
CCP § 1162 — Single Envelope
Three-Day Notice Defect
The three-day notice was served in a single envelope, violating the statutory service requirements of CCP § 1162. This is a jurisdictional defect that voids the unlawful detainer proceeding. Jurisdictional Void Unlawful UD
Tran Written Statement
("Never raised the rent")
Tran stated in writing that the reason for eviction was that he had never raised the rent — not any failure to pay. Confirms eviction was pretextual and financially motivated. Admission Retaliatory Eviction
Hanson Le Fifth Amendment
Invocation — HBPD
When questioned by HBPD officers, Hanson Le invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, declining to explain his role in the transaction. Criminal Exposure Obstruction Risk

Applicable Law — Probable Cause Basis

The grand jury's function is not to determine guilt but to assess whether probable cause exists that the following statutes have been violated:

18 U.S.C. §§ 1341 & 1343
Mail & Wire Fraud
Application: DocuSign routing of payments through a licensee's personal account; USPS certified mail used to conceal the cashier's check; text messages between Tran and Le during the cure window. Each mailing and each wire transmission in furtherance of the scheme constitutes a separate count.
18 U.S.C. § 1344
Bank Fraud
Application: Diversion of rent funds to a personal Wells Fargo account rather than a licensed trust account; concealment of the cashier's check after receipt; forced second payment while the original was withheld.
18 U.S.C. § 1951
Hobbs Act Extortion
Application: Tenant was compelled to pay a second security deposit under written protest, with threat of continued eviction enforcement, while the original sealed check remained concealed. Obtaining property by wrongful use of threatened force or fear under color of official proceedings.
18 U.S.C. § 1962(c)
RICO
Application: Multiple actors (Tran, Le, Silverstein, Rosas, Sandoval, Anna Ly, Thao Tran) using repeated mail and wire transmissions through business entities (BHHS, AP Silk Arts) to accomplish a pattern of fraud. Minimum two predicate acts within ten years are easily satisfied. Permits treble civil damages under § 1964(c).
18 U.S.C. § 1028A
Aggravated Identity / False Use
Application: Use of a DRE licensee's credentials and business entity (BHHS) to process unauthorized financial transactions through personal accounts while representing them as legitimate brokerage transactions.
Cal. Penal Code § 518
Extortion
Application: Tenant compelled to pay a second security deposit under threat of continued unlawful detainer proceedings, with Silverstein co-signing the acknowledgment that no prior repayment had occurred.
Cal. Civ. Code § 1942.5
Retaliatory Eviction
Application: Tran's written admission that the true motive was failure to raise rent — not any default by the tenant — establishes per se retaliation under California law.
Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 10176
DRE — Dishonest Dealing
Application: Hanson Le and managing broker Dennis Rosas failed to maintain rental funds in a licensed trust account, falsely represented the nature of the transaction, and concealed material facts from the tenant. DRE Complaint No. 1-24-0513-010 is currently under investigation.
Cal. Penal Code § 118
Perjury
Application: Testimony in the unlawful detainer proceeding that rent had not been received, and that the security deposit had been returned, conflicts with authenticated documentary and digital evidence.

Active Enforcement Proceedings and Agency Submissions

This matter has been reported to multiple agencies. The following proceedings are active or on record:

DRE — Dept. of Real Estate
Complaint No. 1-24-0513-010 · Investigator: Tom Nguyen · Flagged for conflict-of-interest per DRE Accusation H-40694 LA · Status: Under Investigation
Active
FBI Los Angeles Field Office
Referral letter submitted to Special Agent H. Nguyen (hnguyen2@fbi.gov) · Federal predicates: 18 U.S.C. §§ 1341, 1343, 1344, 1349, 1951, 1962(c), 1028A, 3147
Submitted
HBPD Internal Affairs
File AI 26-0003 · Disposition: "UNFOUNDED" (February 18, 2026) with documented broken commitments by Lt. Randell · Demand letter submitted to Chief Eric G. Parra
Contested
California State Bar
Formal disciplinary proceeding open against Richard Rosiak for withdrawal three days before trial with false representation that re-entry was not legally permitted
Active
FTC
Report No. 194449713 · Filed regarding deceptive trade practices and financial fraud
Filed
IC3 — Internet Crime Complaint Center
Filed December 2025 · Wire and electronic fraud components of the scheme
Filed
OC DA — Real Estate Fraud Unit
Four-count criminal referral (perjury/wire fraud, mail fraud/cashier's check concealment, extortion, perjury in court proceeding) · Declined on jurisdictional grounds March 2026 without disputing evidence · Physical binders at 300 N. Flower St., Santa Ana — must be retrieved before mid-April 2026
Jurisdictional Decline
DRE — Jerusha White
Formal demand letter submitted to Supervising Special Investigator Jerusha White regarding investigator conflict-of-interest and case handling
Pending Response

Economic Impact — Damages Overview

~$90,000
Lost rental value — one year of paid housing wrongfully terminated
$60,000 – $70,000
Tenant improvements and personal property retained without compensation
$40,000 – $60,000
Relocation, storage, and displacement costs
$150,000 – $250,000
Emotional distress and health-related costs
$900K – $1.2M
Treble-damage projection — Civ. Code § 3345 & 18 U.S.C. § 1964(c)
Estimated Total Verdict Range with RICO Ratios
$30M – $42M
Inclusive of treble damages, punitive multipliers, and restitution under federal and state law

How RICO Works — Plain Language

The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (18 U.S.C. § 1962) is a federal statute designed to reach ongoing schemes carried out through legitimate business structures. It does not require connections to organized crime. It applies whenever two or more related actors use repeated fraudulent mailings, wire transmissions, or financial transactions to obtain property or money — regardless of whether those actors operate through a licensed real estate brokerage, a family-owned property management arrangement, or a combination of both.

Once two or more predicate acts (here: mail fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud, extortion) are proven as part of a related pattern, every participant who knowingly directed or facilitated the enterprise may be charged — not merely for a single transaction, but for the full pattern of conduct. RICO permits both federal criminal prosecution and civil treble-damage recovery under § 1964(c).

In this case, the predicate acts span the routing of rent through a personal account, the concealment of a cashier's check, forced double payment, a fabricated invoice, and perjured testimony in a court proceeding — all connected by documented communications across multiple parties.

Why This Matters to a Grand Jury

Grand juries exist to determine whether complex, concealed, or multi-party conduct rises above an individual civil dispute into a matter of public concern requiring the investigative authority of the state or federal government.

Here, the evidence establishes that: (1) a licensed real estate agent used a brokerage platform to route funds to a personal account; (2) that agent received and concealed a cashier's check during a statutory cure window; (3) the property owner acknowledged in writing that the true motive for eviction was financial, not any default; (4) an eviction attorney co-signed an acknowledgment that a prior repayment had never occurred while simultaneously proceeding to judgment. Each element involves a licensed professional, a financial institution, and/or a judicial proceeding — exactly the kinds of conduct the grand jury process is designed to examine.

A finding of probable cause would authorize prosecutors to subpoena financial records from Wells Fargo, BHHS, and DocuSign; compel testimony from Le, Tran, and Silverstein under oath; and protect future tenants in Orange County from similar misuse of the eviction process.

Requested Action

The submitter respectfully requests that the grand jury:

  1. Review the certified-mail records, DocuSign routing records, bank statements, and authenticated communications already delivered and indexed at gasiomirror.com.
  2. Determine whether probable cause exists for violations of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1341, 1343, 1344, 1951, and 1962(c), and related state statutes.
  3. Authorize formal subpoenas for financial records held by Wells Fargo, BHHS (Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices), and DocuSign relating to the transactions identified in this brief.
  4. Compel sworn testimony from Hanson Le, Phat L. Tran, Steven D. Silverstein, Dennis Rosas, and Angie Sandoval regarding their respective roles in the financial and eviction scheme.
  5. Authorize a formal investigation into whether the identified conduct constitutes a pattern of racketeering activity under 18 U.S.C. § 1962(c).

Broader Policy Implication

This case is not only about one household. It illustrates a structural gap in California housing law enforcement: when digital proof of payment exists, when postal tracking confirms receipt, and when the party who received a cashier's check invokes the Fifth Amendment rather than explain its disposition — the existing administrative channels have proven insufficient.

DRE declined to act on the trust account violation in a timely manner. HBPD Internal Affairs closed its file as "UNFOUNDED" despite documented commitments going unmet. The OC DA's Real Estate Fraud Unit declined on jurisdictional grounds without disputing a single item of evidence. The only avenue remaining capable of compelling testimony, issuing subpoenas, and examining financial records across entity lines is the grand jury process.

Addressing this pattern reinforces trust in contractual enforcement, real estate licensing, the integrity of California's housing market, and the equal application of fraud statutes to licensed real estate professionals.

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