Downtown Los Angeles — The Los Angeles Times gave a written account that began with “Lisa Ramirez was the heart and soul of the Flower Street Lofts.” She was the beloved maintenance lady of the building that is the cool and hip original industrial live/work loft structure in South Park. In the rapidly escalating now-upscale neighborhood in the southwest corner of Downtown Los Angeles, Miss Ramirez worked just a block away from L.A. LIVE and the Ritz-Carlton, in the modernized residential building that has been a low-profile sanctuary surrounded by the most exciting place on earth, DTLA — until the unthinkable happened on January 10.
Lisa Ramirez worked at the building.
Lisa had no way of knowing that a dangerous psychopath was staying with one of the residents. Michael Rogers, a deranged boyfriend of a resident at the building, followed Lisa out of the complex and then forcibly hauled her into his girlfriend’s unit where he stabbed her repeatedly with a large knife. The motive was unknown, but, according to the Times, the killer then proceeded to walk down Hope Street carrying the knife, and attempted to carjack a vehicle. After the driver called the police, the officers responded and ended up shooting Rogers dead on the street.
Behind the scenes, many of the residents knew victim Lisa Ramirez as their every-day cheerful cleaning woman, would be stricken with grief and anxiety as the breakneck pace of neighborhood change is suddenly combined with a jolting murder of Lisa, who was an uplifting friend and beloved, indispensable fixture of the community as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
Why did this happen? Can tragedies be prevented?
Other residents in the building have been on edge as noisy new build construction projects sandwich the building on both sides. Some locals reported that they had to move on. Others are hanging on and working to figure out how to prevent future calamities. The pace of excited new Downtowners moving into Downtown L.A. has not slowed. Enthusiastic renters and home buyers are not hesitating to snap up the great deals on some amazing New York style lofts with concrete features, high ceilings, large windows, modern kitchens, large walk-in closets and luxury bathrooms.
Walking her cute little pugs, one affected resident, a seasoned lady, angrily shouts “Don’t prop open the gate!” When asked about the recent murder, the resident responds “that’s how the murderer got in.” The murderer actually lived at the complex with resident girlfriend, and the killer presumably had keys to the complex and the loft unit.
As his past is reviewed for clues, killer Michael Dwaine Rogers represents a confusing contradiction between the violent domestic abuser and murderer, combined with the positive memories of his long-time relationships with girlfriend and fond memorials from family members. What caused Michael Rogers to go on a murderous rampage, violently taking the life of such an innocent, happy woman as Lisa Ramirez?
Flower Street Murderer stopped by LAPD on Hope Street
No answer or reason can be found to this dichotomy that was Michael D. Rogers, a brutal abuser who also demonstrated moments of loyalty, love and caring. An extreme example of a most extreme case — this contradiction of love and hate. While most will not personally encounter murder, Downtown Los Angeles residents skillfully navigate the pros and cons of a vibrant and challenging neighborhood, enjoying an amazing renaissance of bountiful and exciting restaurants, entertainment, new shops and sprawling transportation infrastructure, while residents must navigate many curve balls such as typical city crime and the scourge of homelessness. Perhaps the horrible murder was merely a symptom of the squeezing, constricting construction quake, vertigo and noise of numerous high-rise construction sights erupting on multiple sides of the once-tranquil residential site.
Michael Dwaine Rogers – Psychopath or victim of urban stress?
Michael Rogers was eulogized as a selfless older brother, always offering the best for his younger brother, who describe Michael as “loving and caring,” his brother Cameron described Michael as “strong, loyal, and protective, always reminding me he was by my side during rough times.”
A few residents moved away, but most are staying in their happy urban homes. The killer’s girlfriend still remains in her stylish loft. She has not responded to the L.A. Loft Blog requests for comment. Residents are going on enjoying their lives in these amazing industrial lofts in the walkable heart of a rapidly-growing neighborhood, the most exciting place on earth.
Like all big city neighborhoods, Downtown Los Angeles has BIG pros and cons, with a much lower crime rate and way bigger job creation rate than many other major U.S. urban areas, DTLA continues to skyrocket with a booming economy and rising infrastructure of residential, commercial, entertainment and transportation venues. Homelessness continues to be the number one issue for Downtown L.A., while crime, mostly non-violent, requires constant vigilance. The South Park neighborhood is one of the fastest growing neighborhoods in Downtown LA, with numerous new homes, highrise tower condominium buildings under construction.
Murder on Flower Street – Merely a symptom of massive construction chaos in South Park?
AKA Slick Con-Man Christian Andrews Deceives Downtown
Drew Christian Donovan
REAL ESTATE NEWS (May 25, 2017) Los Angeles, CA — Christian Andrews is a rich guy with a multi-million dollar trust in Los Angeles who has terminal cancer and wants to help those who are deserving by paying off their credit cards and buying them luxury condos before he passes, even paying the HOA dues and utilities, taxes, everything for a year in advance — really taking care of those in need. In exchange, he wants nothing really, except for a bit of help in avoiding his interfering parents who are attempting to take control of his life and thwart his attempts to generously help people. #drewdonovan #fraud
Sounds enticing, huh? That is the story that the deceiver wants us to believe, but the real story is appallingly different. It starts with his fake name, and gets much worse from there. His real name is Drew Christian Donovan, and today he is perhaps L.A.’s most prolific and despicable con artist. A confidence man so named because he gets the attention and faith of his innocent victims by gaining their trust with phony enticements and fake payments, by appealing to their needs and capturing their sympathy so that he can defraud them out of thousands of dollars each. #christianandrews
Fake Proof of Funds Provided by Drew Donovan
While the overloaded Los Angeles Police Department has hardly started their engines on this case (Fraud Report DR#1701-11966) and the victims wait to have their phone calls hopefully returned soon by the police investigators, the L.A. Loft Blog has already blown the lid right off this illegal scheme that has penetrated deep into Downtown real estate, touching the Sky Lofts and wreaking havoc on Solaire Condominiums in Koreatown. We’ve learned that the perpetrator has already defrauded more than 100 individuals, families, mothers, children, elderly, disabled out of more than $1,000,000. The insidious aggressor is recently getting even more desperate and dangerous, going so far as to kidnap a mother for several hours, telling her that she may not leave to go tend to her children, while extracting every dime possible from her. Victims are left financially devastated and families potentially homeless in the aftermath Donovan’s wickedly crafted web of deception. The 48-year-old fraudster and identity thief from San Clemente is now at large in Los Angeles, bilking and milking the most needy, gullible and compassionate, taking advantage of those who care to help the phony ailing millionaire. After providing fake electronic payments from non-existent bank accounts and writing fake private bank checks from his own blank check stock using an account that does not exist, the highly skilled smoothie convinces his marks to provide him with cash and credit card use in order to help hide the hustler from his supposedly interfering parents. The real story is that the flim-flam man is blowing the loot on his depraved lifestyle of anonymous sex and drugs while hiding out from his previous victims, and evading the law.
The criminal has purported to have a female assistant helping in the transactions by the name of Melissa Ramsey, likely an accomplice who is conspiring in a criminal enterprise. Recovered evidence shows documentation that indicate police impersonation by Donovan, while photos show the crook enjoying a life of leisure and travel on his swindled funds.
Paul Cheatham, a K-town local who survives on a meager $1,017 per month with 100% disability due to health issues, met shyster Drew Donovan, who was going by the fake name “Christian Andrews”on Feb 28, 2017 through a mutual friend. “Mr. Andrews” asked Paul to help him hide out from his parents for a day. Andrews told Paul that Andrews was dying of thyroid cancer, and had millions of dollars in a trust that the family was interfering with.
Fake bank wire confirmation sent by Drew Donovan
Charlatan Christian Andrews (real name Drew Donovan) convinced his victim Mr. Cheatham that Andrews was a wealthy individual who is dying and wishes to distribute the wealth to those who are deserving. The quack requested personal information in order to add these individuals to his trust. The offender offered to pay Mr. Cheatham’s bills, credit cards in full, rent for three months. To gain the confidence of Mr. Cheatham, the ripoff artist provided bank account numbers and routing numbers to pay Mr. Cheatham’s bills. The liar explained to Mr. Cheatham, that in exchange for helping the hoaxer hide from his make-believe meddling family, the offerer would provide millions in cash, credit car payoffs, and real estate. Two days later, scammer Andrews requested that Mr. Cheatham provide a social security number and California ID, address, mothers maiden name. Andrews led Mr. Cheatham to believe that a financial trust account was set up to help Mr. Cheatham live comfortably. The trust was to also include a car and a luxury condominium unit, plus a year of pre-paid HOA dues.
At 8:30 PM Sunday, March 5, con-man Christian Andrews brought Mr. Cheatham to Sky Loft Condominiums in Downtown Los Angeles at 801 S Grand Avenue to look at condo units for sale. Andrews called a local real estate agent, Corey Chambers, to help view properties for sale over the next several days. At the direction and coordination of Andrews, Mr. Cheatham went into escrow on the purchase of a $1,300,000 property at Solaire condominiums at 3785 Wilshire Bl. Innocent victim Mr. Cheatham had no knowledge that Andrews provided a fake proof of funds, as well as a fake earnest money deposit bank wire transmission receipt.
Drew Christian Donovan AKA Christian Andrews – Described as a highly skilled con-artist
Andrews gave to Mr. Cheatham a big, fat fake check in the staggering amount of $6,439,543.31 from a non-existent account of City Private Bank, along with another bogus check in the amount of $17,241.18 to be used for personal expenses. Andrews later offered to pay the bills of the real estate agent Corey Chambers after convincing Mr. Chambers that pretend philanthropist Andrews is helping old friend Mr. Cheatham. Andrews also convinced Mr. Chambers that Andrews was dying of terminal cancer and needed help spending his multi-million dollar trust fund in a way that would help Mr. Cheatham while giving money to those who are needy and deserving. On April 6, 2017, Andrews told agent Corey Chambers that Andrews would like to pay some of Corey’s credit card bills that have a large balances in exchange for helping them. Unaware of the scam, Mr. Chambers allowed the bilker to “pay” an American Express bill of $3,409 (which 7 days later was returned as unpaid from Andrews’ fake account on April 13). Andrews then told Mr. Chambers to provide a credit card for Andrews hotel room, plus $500 cash so that Andrews can successfully complete the real estate transaction using Andrews’ own trust funds. Shiny new cars were also promised — another mirage.
The master hustler Christian Andrews convinced Mr. Cheatham to rent a car until a new car arrives that Andrews promised to pay for. Andrews told Mr. Cheatham that the trust had already confirmed and arranged to pay for everything.
Mr. Chambers informed Mr. Cheatham of his suspicions that Christian Andrews was behaving in a way very similar to con artists and fraudsters. Mr. Cheatham gave to swindler Andrews a total of $30,000 in cash, credit card use and other credit use, such as car rentals. Mr Chambers and Mr. Cheatham reported the fraud to LAPD Rampart office and created an initial Investigative Report on 4/19/17.
On April 20, Mr. Cheatham inadvertently found and recovered a bounty of evidence from room #323 at the Normandie Hotel after Mr. Chambers tipped off the inn as to the nature of their fraudulent, non-paying guest Christian Andrews (Drew Donovan). The mountain of evidence includes computer files with many victim credit cards, stolen identities, evidence of accounts and online services that Andrews utilized to meet men to exchange money and sex, services for anonymous communications, services for travel, and financial accounts of fraud victims. The digital evidence also includes photographs of victims and photographs of perpetrator Andrews. Physical evidence obtained from the hotel room after Andrews skipped town include blank check stock, printouts of fake transactions, written credit card numbers, drivers license numbers and names of many of Drew Donovan’s AKA Christian Andrews’ victims. “He really had me fooled,” admits Mr. Cheatham, “He’s a very skilled con-artist.
Pleasure-seeking lifestyle motivation for fraud.
The personal effects show that Donovan has long been stealing from friends of friends, rich and poor in order to finance his own lavish lifestyle and depraved need for anonymous sex and drugs. The perpetrator is targeting married men and their families to steal from, and he is not slowing down, but is speeding up the pace of his dirty work, putting disabled and families with children into risk of homelessness so that he can feed his own never-ending desire to binge on pleasure and excitement.
The stories of Paul, along with families who have come forward but do not wish to be public, are a small sample of many, many recent victims of fraud and identity theft. The victims are asking for the public to help. The L.A. Loft Blog is also working to put an end to swindler Drew Christian Donovan’s campaign of financial devastation. Readers of the L.A. Loft blog can help to stop one of America’s top con artists currently on the loose and on a rampage in Los Angeles. Drew Donovan is devastating families daily. Here’s how to stop him and others like him:
Report to the police and to the L.A. Loft Blog any information on his whereabouts or recent criminal activities. Include the Fraud Report DR#1701-11966 and then submit the information to the L.A. Loft Blog consumer protection department at consumer@laloftblog.com. This article written by L.A. Loft Blog Publisher Corey Chambers, also a witness and victim of the frauds.
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