ARCHBALD, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A West Pittston woman is facing theft and felony fraud charges for allegedly promising vacations and keeping the money.
South Abington Township and Archbald Borough police say 69-year-old Eileen Miner took around $42,000 from victims through her travel company, Thompson Tours.
Two groups of hopeful travelers were allegedly defrauded of thousands of dollars.
This after booking through what they thought was a reputable travel company, Thompson Tours. The business is located in a plaza on Birney Avenue in Moosic.
"There was no flights booked, there was no hotels, there was no trip," said Dunmore resident Vince Sardo.
Dream trips to Italy were canceled via email without much of an explanation just hours before flights were set to take off.
"We were supposed to board a bus in Pittston in from 6:00 p.m. and we received the email approximately at about 1:10 p.m.," said Nicholas and Mary Jo Rodio from Archbald.
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Despite multiple attempts to contact the company's owner, Eileen Miner, they say their refunds were nowhere in sight.
"We've been reaching out to her and we haven't gotten any calls back," Sardo said.
Police say the 69-year-old woman is facing multiple felony charges after police say she failed to refund the hopeful travelers.
Victims now out money and memories of trips they say they had hoped to go on for years.
"We were doing seven days in Sicily that's where my dad's family was from," Sardo explained.
"It's something that we always wanted to do, and we're very disappointed," Nicholas and Mary Jo said.
Court documents reveal Miner was located by Plains Township Police in the Mohegan Pennsylvania Casino parking lot on October 7. They were called there for a welfare check.
After police arrived, she was transported to a nearby hospital for a mental health evaluation.
Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for later this month.
Miner's bail is set at $50,000. If she is unable to make bail, she will go to prison.
