Maine travel agent jailed for fraud

Wednesday, 29 Oct, 2015 0

A Maine travel agent has been sentenced to 18 months in jail for mail and wire fraud after dozens of clients paid money for non-existent travel bookings.

Beth Rogers, 46, from Portland, operated as TravelWise Cruises & Tours, and misappropriated payments from at least 50 clients to pay for other customers’ bookings.

Rodgers then sent fake receipts to clients claiming travel arrangements had been made, according to documents produced during the trial.

"Beginning in late 2011, Rogers began taking client money without making travel reservations for clients. She instead used the clients’ money to pay for the travel of other TravelWise clients. Rogers continued to misapply client money in this fashion until mid-2012, when her scheme was discovered," said assistant U.S. attorney Craig Wolff in a prosecution document filed with the court.

Rodgers, who pleaded guilty to the charges back in March, was also ordered to pay restitution of $209,000 and will receive six years of supervised release.

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