Judge throws out $100 million-plus in mechanics liens exposed by ABC7

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A Benedict Canyon homeowner has won a major legal victory after a judge ruled that more than $100 million in mechanics liens filed against her property were null and void.

The 7 On Your Side Investigates team exposed the unusually large and questionable liens earlier this year.

Homeowner Marjorie Josaphat had just finished remodeling her home in February when she discovered her title was clouded by two $24.6 million mechanics liens for alleged unpaid "Cleaning Services" and "Business Consulting Services."

The liens were filed by Rita Ortiz of Ortiz Consulting LLC.

Ortiz then filed an additional $98.5 million lien for "contracts" and "agreements."

"I have never met her," Josaphat said.

"I don't know who she is to this day."

On Friday, a judge bought Josaphat's side of the story and granted her request to have the liens expunged, clearing her title.

"It means less stress. It means the worry is gone," Josaphat told ABC7.

During our investigation, 7 On Your Side Investigates reviewed public records showing Ortiz had filed 35 mechanics liens since 2023, totaling more than $568 million in alleged unpaid.

In a sit-down interview, Ortiz told Eyewitness News she believed she was owed money for cleaning properties, describing the work as physically demanding.

"Honest, professional, work so hard, pick up heavy, heavy, heavy furniture to clean destroyed properties," Ortiz said back in February.

But days after that interview, the Los Angeles Police Department arrested her.

Ortiz now faces 26 felony counts of filing a false or forged document with a public office and remains in custody with bail set at $700,000.

"If not for putting the story out there, I don't think we would have got the attention that we got, and I don't think things would have moved as quickly as they have," Josaphat said as she thanked 7 On Your Side for reporting on the liens.

"The story went viral. I got calls from people in New York and New Jersey because they read and saw the story."

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office says it plans to seek expungement of all remaining liens tied to Ortiz once the criminal case concludes.