United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
Travel agent admits to conning customers
A travel agent has admitted taking tens of thousands of pounds from customers in various holiday scams.
Kathy Ward, former owner of La Mon Travel Limited in Downpatrick, Ireland, pleaded guilty to 80 charges in court at the weekend.
In some cases it was heard clients were left stranded at airports and ferry terminals after being conned, reports the Belfast Telegraph.
Ward, 39, admitted 28 charges of fraud by false representation, 33 of fraud by abuse of position, 18 of theft and one of forgery at Downpatrick Crown Court.
Her boyfriend and co-accused, 47-year-old William McConkey, also of Tollymore Brae, admitted five counts of fraud by false representation and two of theft.
Charges included keeping the cash deposits for holidays for herself, writing a ‘1’ in front of amounts made payable to her on customer cheques and changing the amounts owed from hundreds to thousands.
She also fraudulently used client credit cards in telephone bookings with tour operators, such as Royal Caribbean Cruises.
Ward, a former air hostess, was first charged in December 2010 after police carried out a fraud investigation spanning a six-month period from September 2009.
Sixty customers were conned out of cash by Ward and the amount is understood to exceed £100,000.
Both defendants are due back in court for sentencing in June.
Diane
Tony from Gatto’s Pizza on Columbus’s Unique Pizza Trail
Sophia Hyder Hock on Global Social Inclusion in Tourism
Sustainable Tourism: Don Welsh on Community Values and Global Collaboration
Jane Cunningham: Enhancing European Engagement in Tourism
Kristin Dunne: Navigating Destination Strategy
Revolutionizing Mobile Connectivity: Boris Bijlstra on HUBBY eSIM
Capturing Glasgow’s Vibrancy: An Interview with Susan Deighan, Chief Executive of Glasgow Life
Lebua Hotel & Resorts: Rajan Khurana on Hospitality and Bangkok’s Charms
Sustainable Tourism and Growth: Insights from Chiravadee Khunsub from Tourism Authority of Thailand
Revolutionizing Travel: SmartSIM USA’s Dale Takio Unveils the Power of E Sims
TravelMole Interview with Hishan Singhawansa, Deputy CEO of Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts, Sri Lanka
Unveiling the Essence of Magari Tours: A Dive into Authentic Italian Experiences
EU airports bring back 100ml liquid rule
British Airways passengers endure 11-hour 'flight to nowhere'
CLIA: Anti-cruise demos could cause itinerary changes in Europe
Co-pilot faints, easyJet flight issues ‘red alert’
Gatwick braces for strike