FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- The state of Florida dropped criminal
charges against Premier Travel International here and its majority
owner Bryan Yamhure.
The defendants were charged with "organized fraud" and violation
of the state's business opportunities law as part of a year-old
dispute that also includes civil allegations.
Florida's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services,
beginning last summer, launched a series of actions aimed at
closing Premier and an affiliated agency, Travelease
International.
The state charges Premier and its affiliates defrauded consumers
by selling them worthless memberships, at $3,000 to $6,000 each,
that were to provide travel agent credentials, training, discounted
fam tour travel and free trips to Las Vegas or Orlando. It said the
agencies, in conjunction with the membership offers, violated the
state's business opportunities law.
However, an administrative law judge issued a decision in May
dismissing more than 100 of the fraud complaints, leaving only
three fraud complaints standing, and finding the defendants not
guilty of violating the business opportunities law.
In filing to drop the criminal charges, the state said it was
responding to the May ruling in the civil action, which weakened
the state's case. However, it added, the matter is still under
investigation.
The civil case is still pending, however; the defendants said
they will appeal all decisions that went against them.