JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (CW44 News AT 10) Juan Carlos Arteaga (58, Conroe, TX) today pleaded guilty to one count of wire scams. He deals with an optimum penalty of twenty years in federal jail. Arteaga has actually accepted pay a minimum of $779,687 in restitution to the victims of his offenses. A sentencing date has actually not yet been set.
He served as a travel representative for clients throughout Florida and the United States. Regardless of operating as a de facto travel agent, Arteaga was not a certified travel representative. Arteaga got buddies, organization contacts, acquaintances, and referrals from those individuals to purchase sham travel arrangements from him, including but not limited to domestic and global airline tickets, hotel rooms, and tickets to amusement parks.
Arteaga also utilized a few of the proceeds from the scheme for his individual enrichment, including his mortgage payment, short-term loans, charge card and cable expenses, grocery purchases, nursing home expenditures, and withdrawing large amounts of cash. Two of the victims of Arteaga's plan were P.C. and A.C., who were long time pals of Arteaga.
and A.C. began speaking with Arteaga about a trip around the world through Roadway Scholar, Check Out the World by Personal Jet. P.C. and A.C. had actually successfully reserved other travel plans in the past with Arteaga and had actually vacationed with Arteaga and his other half many times. Arteaga said that the Roadway Scholar trip would cost approximately $100,000, but if P.C.
paid him by the next day, Arteaga might get them the journey for $60,000. Arteaga advised A.C. and P.C. to pay him $20,000, broken into five check payments, and to wire the $40,000 balance to him. A.C. and P.C. wired $40,000 to Arateaga. In More In-Depth , P.C. spoke with some friends that their trips with Arateaga had actually not been scheduled.
then called Roadway Scholar and found out that their trip had actually not been reserved. Roadway Scholar likewise advised they did not any offer discount rates, consisting of to take a trip agents. After finding the trip was a sham, A.C. and P.C. challenged Arteaga who stated that he had not yet reserved their journey due to the fact that he was concerned about P.C.'s health.