OF STAFF REPORTS
The proprietor of a neighborhood journey company faces six felony fees in reference to a scheme to defraud a gaggle of senior residents following an investigation by the Iredell County Sheriff’s Workplace.
Charles Eric Johnson, 43, of Birchwood Street, Statesville, faces six counts of acquiring property by false pretenses. Sheriff Darren Campbell introduced his arrest in a information launch.
ICSO started investigating on July 26, 2023, after an 83-year-old girl reported that she and different seniors had been scammed after reserving an Alaska cruise by way of a journey company situated in Statesville.
A day earlier than the scheduled departure date, the journey company proprietor canceled the journey for private causes, the lady mentioned, and the proprietor refused to difficulty an instantaneous refund.
The case was assigned to Detective J. Roberts, assigned to ICSO’s Financial Crimes Unit.
Throughout the investigation, the detective recognized Charles Johnson because the proprietor of Carolina Blue Excursions.
All through the investigation, extra victims have been recognized and interviewed. The detective decided that Johnson had obtained funds in extra of $25,000 from all folks concerned, in keeping with the information launch.
Search warrants have been obtained for Johnson’s monetary data in addition to his firm’s account historical past with Royal Caribbean, the cruise line organizing the Alaska cruise.
Upon receiving and reviewing Johnson’s monetary data, Detective Roberts found that the suspect had been transferring enterprise funds to his private accounts and funding private journeys from his enterprise account, the sheriff mentioned.
The investigation additionally revealed that Johnson had knowingly filed a fraudulent dispute along with his monetary establishment by which he denied taking a private journey to New York, leading to him receiving roughly $four,030 on account of the fraudulent dispute, in keeping with the assertion. of press.
Throughout a overview of Johnson’s account historical past with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, the detective decided that Johnson had by no means made reservations for the entire victims who had paid for the Alaska cruise, in keeping with the information launch.
The detective additionally decided that Johnson went to the cruise himself after informing the entire victims that the cruise had been canceled, the sheriff mentioned.
On account of the investigation, Johnson was arrested on December 19, 2023 and transported to the Iredell County Detention Middle. Justice of the Peace Chambers set his bail at $6,000.