A former San Fernando Valley resident who worked as a producer and accountant in the movie business was arrested Wednesday on federal charges alleging he defrauded victims out of more than $12 million, in part by causing them to pay for COVID-19 testing that never occurred and misappropriating funds from film projects for his own use.

David Raymond Brown, 39, a onetime Sherman Oaks resident now living in West Columbia, South Carolina, is charged in L.A. federal court with nine counts of wire fraud, 10 counts of transactional money laundering, and two counts of aggravated identity theft, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Brown made his initial appearance Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Columbia, South Carolina. Brown’s arraignment is expected in the coming weeks in downtown Los

See Full Page