While the travel world was abuzz with the news that Bob Dickinson took a seat on the Board of YTB and then recanted, some new news emerged about the rogue RTA in Tennessee. Apparently she now has an arrest warrant for an unrelated charge of bouncing a check--at a Walmart! Now, the last time I heard, most RTAs were rolling in so much money, that shopping at Walmart was beneath them, so I have to wonder.
Apparently, she went to the schools and promoted the trip. I believe this is one of the tactics YTB encourages its RTAs to do to gain business. Granted they do not recommend them to steal the money, but without a vetting process, they cannot be surprised that it happens
I love the comment by the husband when asked if she may have done something with the money that he did not know about. I think his response was telling in that he was totally involved as well. Apparently they are waiting until the trip does not materialize before charging her. I wonder if YTB is going to bail out this RTA in the name of good PR?
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Dozens of Midstate high school students said they were scammed out of thousands of dollars.
Police have issued a warrant for the woman the students said promised to book their senior trip.
Police in Rutherford County said the trip money remains unaccounted for, but the arrest warrant is for an unrelated bounced check.
Students said Cynthia Anderson and her husband Kenneth Anderson stole their Caribbean vacation. Police said it doesn't look like the trip is going to happen later this month.
Sixty-one students paid about $700 each to Anderson, a travel planner, for a trip to Jamaica. She and her husband were supposed to book the trip.
But police said $48,000 is now unaccounted for.
Anderson said his wife is hospitalized with stress.
Recently, police took out a warrant for her arrest stemming from a bad check she wrote at a local Wal-Mart.
Straight A Tours, a national travel agency that caters to students, said the Andersons still haven't paid for the trip. In fact, two checks bounced.
"I've been assured on a daily basis that the money will be here and to this date it has not been wired yet," said Michael Holladay of Straight A Tours.
"That's something my wife done. I really can't comment on," Kenneth Anderson said.
When asked if it's possible his wife did something with the money that he wasn't aware of, Anderson said, "No, she wouldn't do that."
The police aren't so sure. Police said they would like to question the Andersons.
Criminal charges could be filed if this trip doesn't happen later this month.
Kenneth Anderson insisted that the trip will take place. The students are supposed to leave May 24.
Right now, no one seems to know where the money is to pay for it.
Right now, police cannot press charges in this case, but the trip doesn't happen later this month, detectives will consider filing theft and fraud charges.
The vacation was not sanctioned by the Rutherford County school district. However, several parents said the local high schools allowed Cynthia Anderson to pitch the trip to students on campus. The school system director is looking in to whether that happened.
