Author Plans to Plead Guilty to Scam Charges

Mitchell Gross, an author of legal thrillers and a fantasy trilogy, was accused of scamming millions of dollars from two women he had relationship with.  His attorney said that the author is planning to plead guilty to some charges, however he declined to say which charge to plea at court hearing Tuesday.

If found guilty wire fraud and money laundering charges, Gross could face a maximum prison sentence that would place him decades behind bars.

Gross was charged in October for scamming 4.4 million dollars by having the two women invest in a company that he fabricated.  He has used some of the money on luxury items and a car.

Authorities said that Gross engaged in a romantic relationship with "R.J.," identified in court as Robbie Johnson, from online Jewish dating site on June 2006.  He persuaded her to invest with a broker named "Michael Johnson" from "The Merrill Company."

Gross had disguised as the broker on another line in a phone call with Johnson, prosecutors said.  Johnson then wired $3 million to an account that she thought belongs to the company, which does not exist and was provided phony tax forms and account statements to cover up the scheme, prosecutors said. 

Investigators discovered that about $1.4 million of that fund was used to repay another woman, identified as "J.S.," whom he broke-up and had duped earlier to invest in the same fashion.

Johnson discovered in March 2008 that the account she wired money to was set up under Gross' name, the lawsuit stated.

The 61-year-old author resides currently in Atlanta, Georgia.  He has written several novels in different pen names including "Circle of Lies," according to court records.

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