Two Key West residents, posing as travel agents, promised seven people a trip to communist Cuba — only to cancel it and keep $4,000 in payments, say detectives with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
Steven Carl Sanchez, 53, and Traci Leann Culiver-Sanchez, 60, were each charged with grand theft and offering/selling travel services without registration to a terrorist state. They were jailed on Monday.
Investigators got tipped off by one of the victims who booked the trip through Majestic Seas Luxury Charters — owned by Sanchez and Culiver-Sanchez.
Investigators say the victims each paid $4,000 and were supposed to meet at Miami International Airport to go on their trip on Dec. 5, 2024.
The suspects, say detectives, arrived late and group of travelers missed the flight.
The flights were re-booked but then cancelled but the victims were never refunded their payments.
Neither Sanchez or Culiver-Sanchez were registered with the Department of Agriculture as sellers of travel.
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