Attorney General Kamala D. Harris announced the arrest of Christopher Fox, of Laguna Niguel and Curtis Melone of Huntington Beach on 37 felony counts of grand theft, conspiracy and unlawful collection of advance fees. Both men are being held at the Orange County Jail on $500,000 bail.

The men are alleged to have collected over $6 million in up-front fees through their Orange County based company, Green Credit Solutions. A third man, King Harris III, of St. Louis, Missouri is also alleged to have been involved in the fraud.

The California Attorney General's Office launched an investigation into Green Credit Solutions after receiving numerous complaints from consumers from Better Business Bureau, State Bar of California and Department of Real Estate.

Individuals who contacted Green thought they were working with an attorney-backed loan modification service. They were told their $3,500.00 fee would be held in an “attorney escrow account” until services were completed. In reality, the funds were deposited in the account of a disbarred attorney and they transferred to Green.

Harris is a disbarred Tennessee attorney and marketing materials referred to his alleged partners as the defunct law firm of “Smith Harris PLL.”

In California, foreclosure consultants are prohibited from collecting money before services are performed. Any attempt to collect such fees could result in criminal prosecution. If you are in need of legal advice, seek a consultation with an Orange County Criminal Defense Attorney.