American Film Studios

Holly – Sep 24, 2020

Scammer’s phone 7142046922

Scammer’s website Americanfilmstudios.us

Scammer’s email [email protected]

Country United States

Type of a scam Advance Fee Loan

Initial means of contact In person

I met Mr. Joesph Randazzo who showed me a script he wanted to make into a movie. I had just finished my first film and it had been very successful. I liked his script and invested seed money of $50,000 to allow him to secure the remaining money for the film. I was told we would be filming a year ago and have gotten nothing but contact requesting additional money. I contacted him to begin paying me back in increments of $10,000 and was told he will contact me in 2 weeks. Today is September 24,2020. I contacted him and told him I have a need now is there anyway he could give me the first payment. I have yet to hear from him.

Ann –

Victim Location 91411

Total money lost $45,000

Type of a scam Investment

My two partners and I have been victims of a fraud scheme that has been operating with us, since 2016, but with others far longer. Joseph Randazzo and P.J. Garcia have orchestrated an investment fraud scam scheme, operating with the intent to deceive and defraud, investors like us in Los Angeles and Orange County. I am a Los Angeles resident who is the writer, producer and director of a movie we will call TW.

In April 2016, Joseph Randazzo was introduced to us and he told me and my partners, by phone and in person, that his company, American Film Studios (“AFS”) of Los Alamitos, has a special access to a “funding facility” and would finance TW. I checked the Internet and saw that Randazzo, as AFS, had a website which stated that his company had successfully provided many with movie financing. When I later spoke with Randazzo, he “confirmed” that he had been in movie financing as AFS for 25 years, said that he would provide me with a $200,000 loan. Randazzo explained that all we had to do was to provide him with $45,000 which would be wired into an escrow account (at a company where he well knew the owner, Ms. PJ Garcia, Beach Pacific Escrow of Huntington Beach) and then he (Randazzo) would provide us with the sum of $200,000. Randazzo explained that Ms. Garcia “did lots of work with him” and she would keep the money safe. The $45,000 he said would be for "reoccuring closing costs." Based on all of these representations, we (Randazzo and I) signed the AFS contracts and Randazzo provided a written guarantee that, if for any reason he did not provide us with the $200,000 after 30 days of receiving our $45,000, he would return our $45,000 with interest.

Based on Randazzo’s misrepresentations, we, individually, in April 2016, wired Randazzo via Beach Pacific Escrow, $45,000:

• Me: $10,000

• Partner 1 from Burbank: $10,000

• Partner 2 from Chicago: $25,000

Approximately two weeks later, he met with me at the Long Beach Marriott, and said he received the $45,000, and that our “money was coming” and that we would do “lots of projects together.” Then the excuses began. First, Randazzo said that there would be delays, then he said he would give us our money back with interest but never did. The lulling communications orally and in writing included the following:

• “Your money is stuck in Switzerland"

• "I (Randazzo) need to purchase a banking license"

• “My father passed away and I am busy organizing the funeral”

The “refund with interest” deadline of May 31 2016 passed, and he asked to extend until June 27, 2016, and then to August, and then September, and then November, at which point, neither I or the others could reach Randazzo by phone or by email. Randazzo simply stopped responding. I contacted Randazzo’s partner at Beach Pacific Escrow, 7372 Prince Drive of Huntington Beach, Ms. PJ Garcia (714-842-4594). She told me that Mr. Randazzo had received the $45,000 which she held in escrow at her escrow company. When I explained that Randazzo had not provided us with any funds after receiving the $45,000, she said “I am not involved.” When I asked her where Randazzo was, she said she did not know nor did she know why he did not follow through. But that she “had done 19 deals with Randazzo, “which all worked” using her escrow company. I requested she returned our money, and she declined. She did admit that she sent a small portion of funds back to Randazzo directly which is in itself illegal. I asked for documentation of this and she said if I wanted documents, I would have to subpoena her. On June 29, 2017, I sent her via certified mail in the U.S. mail, a written request that Beach Pacific Escrow refund us the money through her own escrow insurance coverage. On July 11, 2017, she responded to me via email and stated that she, as Beach Pacific Escrow, transferred the money out of her escrow account as Randazzo instructed. This as I understand does not comport with the California rules regarded escrow officers, and gives me great pause.

Additionally, I discovered that Randazzo, in 2015, committed a similar “moving financing scheme” involving a female lawyer and an escrow officer in Georgia. See Civ A 09501-10.

After what happened to us, we hired a private detective in Los Angeles County, who conducted a public records search for Joseph Randazzo and AFS. We were informed that Randazzo’s last known address is in Cypress, CA. We were informed that there are 49 liens against Randazzo and assorted civil judgments, against himself and his partner, Juan Collas.

Please beware of Joseph Randazzo and P.J. Garcia and their entities so that they cannot do to others what they’ve done to us.