Case Background
Awana Ring, an 81-year-old woman, found herself in the middle of a complex legal battle involving her family and several financial entities. The trouble started after her daughter, Vickie Atiyeh, passed away in 2016. Ring moved into her late daughter's Ontario home with her son, Roy Scott Robb, and her grandson, Zachary Scott Robb. While Ring expected to inherit the property outright, her son Scott reportedly began pulling strings behind the scenes.
In 2018, as the house faced foreclosure, Scott introduced his mother to Richard "Rick" Harmon and his company, TSG Financial Corp. Harmon offered a loan to save the house, but the terms were far from typical. Ring, or someone acting for her, signed a deal where Harmon’s company acted as the broker, the lender, and the trustee all at once. The $200,000 loan carried a high 10.99% interest rate and required Ring to pay five full years of interest even if she tried to pay it off early.
Cause
The case arose from allegations that Harmon and other Defendants exploited an elderly woman's vulnerable position to secure a predatory and self-serving loan agreement.
Injury
Ring claimed she suffered significant financial loss and emotional distress due to the loss of her property's equity and the threat of losing her home to a deceptive lending scheme.
Damages Sought
Ring filed a lawsuit seeking over $25,000 in monetary damages, including compensation for her financial losses and legal fees, as well as the cancellation of the unfair loan.
Key Arguments and Proceedings
The trial took place in the San Bernardino County Superior Court before Judge Jeffrey Erickson. The proceedings lasted from late October to mid-November 2025. During the trial, the Court examined the messy details of how the loan came to be and whether the professionals involved followed the law.
Legal Representation
Plaintiff(s): Awana Ring
· Counsel for Plaintiff(s): Adam Dolce
Defendant(s): Richard M. Harmon | TSG Financial Corp. | Harmony Escrow, Inc.
· Counsel for Defendant(s): Jeffrey A. Coleman
Key Arguments or Remarks by Counsel
Claims
Ring's lawyer argued that Harmon and his associates engaged in predatory lending and financial elder abuse. They claimed that Harmon wore too many hats in the transaction, creating a massive conflict of interest that favored his own retirement fund over Ring's financial well-being. The lawsuit also accused Ring's own son and grandson of conspiring with the lenders to benefit themselves at her expense.
Defense
The defense team for Harmon and TSG Financial denied the allegations. They maintained that the loan was a legitimate business transaction intended to help Ring save her home from foreclosure. Harmony Escrow argued that they simply performed their administrative duties and had no part in any alleged scheme.
Jury Verdict
After hearing weeks of evidence, the jury reached its decision on November 13, 2025. The outcome was a complete victory for the defense.
The jury first determined that Awana Ring was 65 years of age or older at the time of the conduct in question, establishing her eligibility to bring a claim under California's elder abuse statutes.
Findings Regarding TSG Financial Corp. and Richard M. Harmon
The jury found that Richard M. Harmon, as an employee of TSG Financial Corp., did not directly take, hide, appropriate, obtain or retain Awana Ring's property for wrongful use, with the intent to defraud, or by undue influence. However, the jury found that Richard M. Harmon did assist Roy Scott Robb and/or Zachary Scott Robb in taking, hiding, appropriating, obtaining or retaining Awana Ring's property for wrongful use, with the intent to defraud, or by undue influence. The jury further found that Richard M. Harmon had actual knowledge of Roy Scott Robb and/or Zachary Scott Robb's wrongful conduct toward Awana Ring's property. The jury determined that the conduct of Richard M. Harmon was a substantial factor in causing harm to Awana Ring. The jury awarded economic damages in the amount of $46,950 for past economic loss including lost earnings and damage to real property, and awarded zero dollars in non-economic damages for past noneconomic loss including pain and mental suffering. The jury found that Awana Ring did not prove by clear and convincing evidence that Richard Harmon acted with malice, oppression or fraud.
Findings Regarding Roy Scott Robb
The jury found that Roy Scott Robb did take, hide, appropriate, obtain or retain Awana Ring's property for wrongful use, with the intent to defraud, or by undue influence. The jury determined that the conduct of Roy Scott Robb was a substantial factor in causing harm to Awana Ring. The jury awarded economic damages in the amount of $231,000 for past economic loss including lost earnings and damage to real property, and awarded $500,000 in non-economic damages for past noneconomic loss including pain and mental suffering. The jury found that Awana Ring proved by clear and convincing evidence that Roy Scott Robb acted with malice, oppression or fraud.
Findings Regarding Zachary Scott Robb
The jury found that Zachary Scott Robb did take, hide, appropriate, obtain or retain Awana Ring's property for wrongful use, with the intent to defraud, or by undue influence. The jury also found that Zachary Scott Robb assisted Richard M. Harmon and/or Roy Scott Robb in the wrongful taking of Awana Ring's property. The jury determined that the conduct of Zachary Scott Robb was a substantial factor in causing harm to Awana Ring. The jury awarded economic damages in the amount of $31,000 for past economic loss including lost earnings and damage to real property, and awarded zero dollars in non-economic damages for past noneconomic loss including pain and mental suffering. The jury found that Awana Ring did not prove by clear and convincing evidence that Zachary Scott Robb acted with malice, oppression or fraud.
Findings Regarding Harmony Escrow, Inc.
The jury found that Harmony Escrow, Inc. did not assist Richard M. Harmon, Roy Scott Robb, and/or Zachary Scott Robb in taking, hiding, appropriating, obtaining or retaining Awana Ring's property for wrongful use, with the intent to defraud, or by undue influence. Because the jury answered "No" to this threshold question, they were instructed to stop answering further questions regarding Harmony Escrow, Inc. and to proceed to have the presiding juror sign and date the verdict form. This unanimous 12-0 verdict was signed by the presiding juror on November 13, 2025.
Judgment Entered by the Court
Based on the jury's unanimous verdict in favor of Harmony Escrow, Inc., the Court adopted the verdict and entered judgment on January 2, 2026. The judgment provides that judgment is entered in favor of Defendant Harmony Escrow, Inc. and against Plaintiff Awana Ring. Plaintiff Awana Ring shall recover nothing from Defendant Harmony Escrow, Inc. Defendant Harmony Escrow, Inc. is declared the prevailing party and shall be entitled to recover its costs of suit pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 1032, in an amount to be determined upon the timely filing and service of a Memorandum of Costs. Defendant Harmony Escrow, Inc. may bring a Motion for Attorneys' Fees pursuant to the attorney fee provision in the Escrow Instructions signed by Plaintiff Awana Ring. The Clerk of the Court was directed to enter the Judgment forthwith.
The attorneys for Defendant Harmony Escrow, Inc. were John C. Steele and Parnaz Parto of Steele LLP in Irvine, California. The Plaintiff was represented by Adam Dolce of the Law Office of Adam Dolce in Redlands, California. Defendants Richard M. Harmon and TSG Financial Corp. were represented by Jeffrey Coleman of the Law Office of Jeffrey Coleman in Newport Beach, California. Defendants Roy Scott Robb and Zachary Scott Robb appeared in pro per, meaning they represented themselves without attorneys.
Court documents are available upon request at [email protected]
