FBI contacting potential victims of alleged cruise travel agency fraud scheme

FBI contacting potential victims of alleged cruise travel agency fraud scheme

WHO TRIED TO BOOK A CRUISE..NEARLY TWO YEARS AGO -- WMAR-2NEWS MALLORY SOFASTAIIREPORTED ON A TRAVEL AGENTACCUSED OF COMMITTING CREDITCARD FRAUD ..

AND THE MANYDISAPPOINTED PASSENGERS WHOSETRIPS WERE CANCELLED.

SHE NOWHAS AN UPDATE ON THEINVESTIGATION INTO HOPKINSTRAVEL SERVICES ..

BECAUSE IFIT MATTERS TO YOU ..

IT'SMATTER FOR MALLORBACK IN SEPTEMBER OF 2019KNEW FEDERAL AUTHORITIES WERELOOKING INTO THIS ..

THECRUISE LINE TOLD US.

NOWHUNDREDS OF VICTIMS AREHEARING DIRECTLY FROM THE FBIBEEN IDENTIFIED AS A POTENTIALVICTIM OF A CRIME.

THISWEEKEND -- KAREN REGAN HADPLANS.

SHE THOUGHT SHE'D BESAILING AROUND THE GREEKISLANDS WITH 120 OF HERFRIENDS.

KAREN REGAN :50 May2nd, coming up :06 BUT SHORTLYAFTER MAKING THE ARRANGEMENTSIN 2019 ..

KAREN LEARNED ..THAT TRIP AT THE DISCOUNTEDRATE THEY ALL PAID WASN'THAPPENING.

6:06 everything waslegit, our reservations wereon the Norwegian website whenwe looked up our account, itwas all there and we all madeour full payments and then wegot cancelled :1* THE TRAVELAGENT -- DIANA HOPKINS -- ISACCUSED OF COMMITTING CREDITCARD FRAUD.

USING OTHERPEOPLE'S CARDS TO PAY THE FULLBALANCE FOR CUSTOMER'S TRIPS.NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE CAUGHTON -- AND CANCELLED ALL HERTRIPS.

IMPACTING HUNDREDS OFPEOPLE ..

MANY OF THEM IN OURAREA.

6:34 she was fromDundalk, went to high schoolwith another group I knewgoing on the cruise so itwasnstrangers she was scamming herown friends, her high schoolfriends AFTER PEOPLE LEARNEDOF THE ALLEGED FRAUD -- SOMEPASSENGERS WERE ABLE TO GETREFUNDS.

OTHERS ARE STILLFIGHTING 3:54 120 people I hadin my group everybody gottheir money back but there arehundreds of people still outthousands of dollars :0* ANDFOR MONTHS -- THEY'VE HEARDNOTHING.

UNTIL RECENTLY....:26 did you think youhearing from them?

I washoping to hear from them along time ago but you knowbetter late than never I guessTHE FBI ISSUED THIS LETTER TOPOTENTIAL VICTIMS OF THEALLEGED FRAUD SCHEME 2:29asking when did you make yourpayment, how much did you pay,what was offered to you withthat payment things of thatnature :09 THE LETTER STATESFBI'S TAMPA FIELD OFFICEIDENTIFIED HOPKINS TRAVELSERVICES AS A BUSINESS THATALLEGEDLY OPERATED A FRAUDSCHEME BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 2017AND DECEMBER 31, 2019.

IN THEALLEGED SCHEME -- VICTIMS USEDTHE TRAVEL SERVICE TO BOOK ANDPAY FOR CRUISES ..

BUT HTSAPPLIED THE VICTIMS PAYMENTSTO OTHER CLIENTS TRAVEL ORUSED PAYMENTS FOR OTHERPURPOSES.

WE ASKED THE FBI HOWMANY PEOPLE RECEIVED THISLETTER -- THEY SAID THEYCANNOT COMMENT ON THESPECIFICS OF AN INVESTIGATION.THE LETTER INDICATES THERE AREA LARGE NUMBER OF POSSIBLEVICTIMS. U.S. ATTORNEY JONLENZNER 2:21 first andforemost, contact with victimsis important in terms ofbuilding the investigation.ACTING U-S ATTORNEY FOR THEDISTRICT OF MARYLAND JONLENZNER IS NOT INVOLVED IN THECASE.

BUT HE KNOWS THEPROCESS.

3:31 in many cases,we seek restitution on behalfof the victims. Itfor us to be in contact withvictims of a fraud scheme sowe can ensure victims are madewhole at the end of a case :NO CHARGES HAVE BEEN FILED --HOWEVER LENZNER SAID THAT'SNOT UNCOMMON.

EVIDENCEGATHERING INCLUDINGCORROBORATING VICTIMS ACCOUNTSAND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS TAKESTIME 2:50 Unfortunately, manyfraud schemes in general cantake many months even years toinvestigate and then ifcharges are brought, acriminal prosecution can lasta year or multiple years U-SATTORNEY LENZNER SAID VICTIMSHAVE A RIGHT TO CONTACT LAWENFORCEMENT FOR AN UPDATE --HOWEVER -- THE FBI MAY NOT BEABLE TO PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONALINFORMATION.

THE FBI ADDED IFYOU RECEIVE A VICTIMNOTIFICATION LETTER TO FOLLOWTHE DIRECTIONS PROVIDED.TO SEE ALL OF MALLORY'SREPORTING ON THIS STORY --HEAD TO WMAR-2 NEWS DOT COMSLASH MATTER FOR MALLORY.

ANDIF*YOU HAVE A MATTER FORMALLORY -- SHE WANTS TO HEARFROM YOU.

YOU CAN EMAIL HER ATMALLORY AT WMAR DOT COM.

ORFIND HER ON FACEBOOK