Fleecing the Girl Scouts?
An Oakland Park, Florida, travel agent is facing charges for scamming thousands of dollars from a Girl Scout troop, according to authorities.
The troop from Maryland purchased 18 round-trip tickets from Vannis Lopez to attend the International Girl Scout Jamboree in Zurich, Switzerland.
Lopez, who was an agent at Papiyon Event Planning & Travel last year, accepted more than $12,000 in payments, according to officials.
As the day of the trip neared, she told the troop’s leader that the tickets were not purchased, and she didn’t have the money to pay them back.
Ms Lopez said she had given the money to a subcontracted travel wholesaler in the Bahamas, but refused to provide information on the business.
Broward Sheriff detectives said bank records show Lopez used the money for personal expenses, cash withdrawals and check to family members.
Report by David Wilkening
David
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