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NEWARK
– Attorney General Paula T. Dow and
Criminal Justice Director Stephen J. Taylor
announced that the Division of Criminal
Justice executed a search warrant today
and arrested Daryl Turner, the owner of
numerous vacation travel club companies
with a long history of consumer complaints
in New Jersey, for allegedly stealing more
than $75,000 from consumers for vacation
packages and travel benefits that were never
provided.
According
to Director Taylor, Daryl T. Turner, 39,
of Marlton, was arrested at his home and
was charged with second-degree theft by
deception.
It
is alleged that since 2008, Turner, through
his vacation travel companies, took payments
from numerous consumers and then repeatedly
failed to provide the contracted-for travel
packages, or refund the money. Turner also
allegedly failed to deliver various promotional
items promised to consumers in return for
their attendance at promotional seminars.
It is further alleged that Turner used the
corporate logos of airlines, hotels, and
car rental companies in promotional materials
without those companies' permission.
Under
terms of a February 2011 agreement with
the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General
and the New Jersey Division of Consumer
Affairs, Turner is barred from doing business
in the state for no less than five years
and cannot open or operate any such business
in the future without state approval. Under
the agreement, Turner is responsible for
over $2,188,000 in consumer restitution
and $478,000 in civil penalties. Turner
also is required to reimburse the state
$419,780.10 for its attorneys’ fees
and investigative costs.
The
vacation travel companies named as defendants
in the state’s civil lawsuit included
Dreamworks Vacation Club, Dreamworks Vacations,
Bentley Travel, Modern Destinations Unlimited,
Blue Water, Vacation Clubs LLC d/b/a La
Bonne Vie Travel, Five Points Travel Company,
Dream Vacations International, Inc., and
Away We Go Promotions, LLC.
The
Division of Consumer Affairs last month
filed a six-count Complaint in Burlington
County Superior Court that charges Turner,
individually and d/b/a Reservations, his
wife Robyn B. Bernstein, and their Marlton-based
company, Travel Deals Limited Liability
Company, as well as VIP Executives, LLC,
with violating the New Jersey Consumer Fraud
Act and Advertising Regulations by failing
to fulfill promises of complimentary cruises
and airfare used to induce attendance at
sales presentations, and failing to provide
the luxury vacation packages at discounted
prices represented during the sales presentations.
Today’s
charge is merely an accusation and the defendant
is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Because the charge is an indictable offense,
the allegations must be presented to a state
grand jury for potential indictment. Second-degree
crimes carry a maximum sentence of 10 years
in state prison and a criminal fine of $150,000.
Detective
Richard Loufik and Deputy Attorney General
Mark Kurzawa coordinated the investigation
for the Division of Criminal Justice. The
Philadelphia Office of the United States
Postal Inspection Service assisted in the
investigation. Deputy Attorneys General
Lorraine K. Rak, Chief of the Consumer Fraud
Prosecution Section, and Gina M. Betts represented
Division of Consumer Affairs in the state’s
lawsuit against Turner. Investigator Murat
Botas in the Office of Consumer Protection
led the investigation for the Division of
Consumer Affairs.
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