A San Diego-based travel agent has been charged with embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars paid by more than 150 parents for school trips that were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Marie Colette Martin, 52, is accused of spending the funds on personal expenses rather than refunding parents after the trips were canceled.
In a statement, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said,"More than 150 California families set aside their hard-earned money to give their children the educational opportunity of a lifetime. Instead, the trip was canceled, and their money disappeared." When parents sought refunds, Martin allegedly declined, then used the money for personal uses, including credit card purchases, rent, and artwork, according to the Attorney General's Office. Prosecutors say she was unable to refund the parents because she had already been"experiencing cash flow problems and commingling client funds" and had used the parents' funds for personal expenses.
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