Travel agent allegedly took $35K for cruise that ‘did not exist’

• A New York journey agent was arrested for allegedly defrauding purchasers out of 1000’s of {dollars}.
• In one occasion, 9 individuals allegedly paid over $35,750 for a fraudulent Royal Caribbean cruise.

A journey agent was arrested for allegedly defrauding purchasers.

Tavia Thomas, 47, accepted cash for reservations that weren’t booked or went unpaid, the Nassau County Police Department stated in a Jan. 6 bulletin. The Hempstead, New York, resident was the proprietor and solely journey agent at Destiny Travel.

On one event in July 2024, 9 individuals paid Thomas greater than $35,750 for a Royal Caribbean International cruise departing from Bayonne, New Jersey, in response to police. “Upon arrival the victims were notified by an employee that their tickets were fraudulent and that the cruise they booked did not exist,” the bulletin stated.

Royal Caribbean Group, the cruise line’s mum or dad firm, didn’t instantly reply to USA TODAY’s request for remark.

In September of that yr, a traveler reported that she booked a visit via Thomas to the Dominican Republic for her mom’s seventy fifth birthday. “The defendant received $10,034.16 from the victim and her fifty (50) family members,” police stated. “The accommodations were never paid for by the suspect and no refunds were given.”

Thomas was additionally allegedly paid $7,660 that yr for a vacation spot wedding ceremony that was not booked. She was charged with third and fourth-degree grand larceny and first-degree scheme to defraud.

Court information didn’t listing an lawyer for Thomas.

Nathan Diller is a shopper journey reporter for USA TODAY primarily based in Nashville. You can attain him at ndiller@usatoday.com.