FBI investigating FlyGirl World Travel, after Chicago couple claims $180K rip-off

CHICAGO – The FBI is getting concerned in an alleged journey agent rip-off, after a Chicago couple claimed FlyGirl World Travel stole greater than $180,000 from them.

What we all know:

FBI’s Chicago Field Office is presently investigating a journey agent rip-off that South Side couple Iris Smith and Dedric Vaughn had employed to assist plan their long-awaited marriage ceremony day in July.

The workplace is on the lookout for some other potential victims of FlyGirl World Travel. If you imagine you’re a sufferer of this rip-off, fill out a form here.

The backstory:

The couple employed Laticha Douglas, proprietor of FlyGirl World Travel LLC, to assist coordinate their vacation spot marriage ceremony.

According to Smith and Vaughn, company RSVP’d and paid Douglas straight via her now-deactivated web site. The funds have been purported to cowl journey, resort rooms, and extra.

Instead, the couple stated they acquired excuses and ultimately, silence.

“I had been trying to contact her for days, and she hadn’t responded,” Smith stated. “… When we calculated everything, over $180,000.”

They stated solely 2% of their company acquired refunds. The couple was compelled to cancel the marriage totally.

One e-mail to Smith, allegedly from somebody claiming Douglas was hospitalized, recommended company ought to dispute expenses with their banks and re-book their journey. The e-mail assured her a refund system was in place, however most company by no means noticed a dime.

“The dates on all of this stuff won’t match anymore,” Smith stated, glancing at her marriage ceremony favors. 

“What do you do? Just keep it? Pass it out still?” stated FOX 32’s Tia Ewing.

“I think… pass it out. Everyone kind of knows what happened. It’s so unfortunate,” Smith stated.

RELATED: Chicago couple claims marriage ceremony desires have been stolen by journey agent in $180K rip-off

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has acquired at the least 5 separate complaints in opposition to FlyGirl World Travel LLC:

• One traveler paid $2,300 for a visit to Jamaica, solely to seek out there was no reservation.
• Another made month-to-month funds for a $3,900 journey to Egypt. That journey by no means occurred.

In each instances, Douglas stopped responding, and her web site disappeared.

According to state data, FlyGirl World Travel LLC was terminated earlier this 12 months by the Secretary of State, then later reinstated.

The Illinois Attorney General’s Office confirmed it’s now working to mediate a number of complaints.

“We are attempting to mediate consumer complaints we have received about this business,” the workplace stated in a press release.

What’s subsequent:

The Chicago Police Department confirmed an investigation is underway.

Meanwhile, Smith and Vaughn, each metropolis staff, are left with heartbreak and debt.

“I still find myself in shock sometimes,” Smith stated.

Now, they simply need accountability.

“At this point, just turn yourself in,” Smith stated in a direct plea to Douglas. “You took a lot of people’s money. A lot of people are angry—including us.”

The Illinois Secretary of State’s workplace stated that FlyGirl World Travel LLC is presently listed as “not in good standing” as of July 1.

The firm did not file its required annual report on time. If the report just isn’t filed by Jan. 1, 2026, the enterprise can be robotically dissolved.