BEAUMONT, Texas — A Southeast Texas travel agent from Bevil Oaks has been arrested on a felony theft charge related to a nationwide vacation-travel scam.
Emily Lockard-Furry, 38, of Bevil Oaks, was arrested Tuesday on a charge of theft by deception over $2,500 but less than $30,000 according to a Jefferson County Sheriff's Office news release.
(EDITOR'S NOTE: The above video first aired on May 30, 2024.)
Deputies were recently made aware of a nationwide vacation-travel scam allegedly run by Lockard-Furry, according to the release.
Furry, through her company, Traveluxe LLC, was hired to book primarily international vacations for families and individuals.
After requesting payment up front, Furry would make initial reservations to hold a hotel room but not follow through “with the financial portion of the reservations,” according to deputies.
Instead of paying for the rest of her client’s reservations, Furry would pocket the money, leaving her clients without any of the reservations or accommodations they had been promised, the release said.
Some of her clients ended up stranded out of the country. As the scam continued more victims came forward requesting help.
Deputies worked with the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office to build a case and get an arrest warrant for Furry, according to the news release.
The day before Furry was arrested on the charge, a search warrant was executed at her Bevil Oaks home on Monday, June 17, 2024.
She was arrested by detectives and deputies with the Fugitive Warrant Division at a home in rural Jefferson County.
She is being held in the Jefferson County Correctional Facility where her bail has not yet been set.
Deputies are continuing to investigate and ask that anyone who may have been one her victims call detectives in the criminal investigations division at 409-835-8411.
This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.
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