FRAUD

Many types of thefts, usually involving forgery, lying, and/ or cheating, constitute fraud. The consequences of a fraud conviction can be severe and may include the following:

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Travel Agent Sentenced in Fraud Case

By JUDITH THOMAS LUCAS Courier-Post Staff

WOODBURY - A former East Greenwich travel agent who embezzled thousands of dollars from her clients last year was sentenced to five years probation and ordered to make full restitution.

Superior Court Judge Joseph F. Lisa issued the sentence Friday in accordance with a plea bargain agreement reached last October. It allowed [the woman], 63, to plead guilty to one count of theft and provided for the dismissal of the remaining five charges.

[The woman], now of Ocean City, also was sentenced to 149 days in jail, all which she has already served.

She has been ordered to repay $22,937 within five years. Payments of $100 per month have to be made beginning Feb. 15. And $10,419.82, proceeds from the sale of her Mickleton home, will immediately be paid to the victims.

"This offense consists of multiple thefts over a 16-month period," said Lisa to [the travel agent]. "This is beyond a simple theft charge."

"I am very sorry and I would like to make restitution, as soon as possible." [the travel agent] told Lisa.

Her attorney, Yaron Helmer, said [his client] has been "shunned by almost her entire family. She is embarrassed about this situation and wants it over as quickly as possible."

But the sentence was not enough for some of the victims present in the court.

"I worked two jobs to save for the cruise to the Bahamas," said Patricia McGinn of Philadelphia. She and 25 others had planned the cruise for more than a year she said. "I gave her $999 for four days and three nights on Royal Caribbean. Four days before the trip we heard she had never paid for the cruise. Because of her I could not go. I am 62 years old, I do not think I will ever go on one now."

Her son, Dennis, who almost lost his honeymoon trip, said the sentence is the best he could have hoped for. He was able to go on the cruise but had to pay an additional $600.

[The woman], fluent in four languages other than English - Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Italian - said she will not seek employment as a travel agent. However, she might consider a job as a translator. She is working at a Wawa convenience store in Ocean City.

Travel agent Mary Hricik, who has followed the case, said a case such as this is the reason she wants travel agents to be regulated.

"The industry has gotten to the point where anybody who operates out of their kitchen and sets up a phone line can operate a travel agency," she said. "There is no policing of the industry."

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