|
ORMOND BEACH -- There is no evidence that management at WELE-AM radio did
anything criminal when it failed to return money to listeners who purchased
tickets from a now-defunct show that touted travel specials, police said today.
Ormond Beach police investigators reached that conclusion after looking into
allegations of fraud from at least three listeners of the radio station who said
they had been cheated out of money they paid for travel tickets they never
received, said Sgt. Kenny Hayes, spokesman.
"We saw no criminal intent on the part of the owner of the radio
station," Hayes said. "For criminal charges to apply, police would
have to prove that agents of the radio station knowingly sold packages that were
worthless or knowingly misrepresented the packages which resulted in monetary
gain to the business. No such proof was found in any of the cases. On the
contrary, police determined that the radio station did in fact have business
relationships with companies providing vacation accommodations or travel
services and had good faith belief that the vacation packages were redeemable as
advertised."
Police said listeners who have not received refunds for their tickets could
try to pursue the matter in civil court.
In a letter to customers and on a recorded telephone message, station owner
Doug Wilhite announced late last month that the Premier Travel Show — which
offered travel packages at lower rates — was going off the air. Wilhite said
he and his family were strapped for cash and inundated in debt and did not know
whether WELE would continue operating.
Earlier this month though, Wilhite said he intended to make good on all the
outstanding vacation certificates that were bought through the travel show. The
station has been back in operation for a few weeks.
Mary Rhoads of Palm Coast, who had been unable to take a trip that she paid
$561 for, said she was able to get a refund from her credit card company. She is
among those who reported the problem to Ormond Beach police.
What's
New Biographies
In Memory Sounds
Misc. Links
Chronology What's News?