Two men are accused in ‘Ponzi scheme,’ Newport Beach police say

Two men pleaded not guilty Thursday to stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from victims in Orange County in what Newport Beach police characterized as a “scam resembling a Ponzi scheme.”

Brian Lee Kissinger, 49, of Irvine and Kenny Rojas, 41, of Mira Loma are charged with a dozen felony counts of making an untrue statement or omission in connection with a purchase or sale and face sentencing enhancement allegations of aggravated white-collar crime.

They are accused of “recruiting unsuspecting victims to invest in buying liens on distressed real estate properties,” Newport Beach police Det. Shawn Dugan said in a court filing.

The alleged victims “wrote large checks as part of their investment” in Kissinger’s company, Aria Management Group, Dugan said.

Dugan alleged the defendants “misrepresented the company and the investments, causing the victims to lose their money as a result.”

Kissinger is accused of causing $832,000 in losses to victims, while Rojas is accused of causing $642,500 in losses, Dugan said.

The two were ordered to return to court for a pretrial hearing Oct. 11 in Orange County Superior Court’s Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach.

Daily Pilot staff contributed to this report.

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