Clients Accuse Travel Agent of Failing to Book Trips, Then Keeping Money

COSTA MESA —  Police are investigating complaints from about 45 people who say a Costa Mesa travel agent took thousands of dollars from them for travel arrangements, then never booked them on the trips.

“We had a whole lobby full of people complaining about it,” Capt. Tom Lazar said. “If it’s true, it’s a very unfortunate situation.”

Many of the people lodging complaints are senior citizens who live at Leisure World in Laguna Hills, police said.

Roger Palmateer, president of Sea Travel in Costa Mesa, admitted Friday that his company has had recent financial problems but denied defrauding anyone. He has not been arrested or charged.

According to several people who say they lost their money, the trouble began in December, when they were told that a cruise they had paid for had been canceled.

“We were asked if we wanted our money back or wanted to book another cruise,” said Manny Heisler, 81, who organized the trip for several couples at Leisure World in return for free tickets for him and his wife.

“Many of those who wanted their money back didn’t get it, and those who decided to go on the other cruise didn’t have reservations booked,” he said.

The other cruise left San Pedro Harbor on March 5 on a three-day excursion to Ensenada. None of the Sea Travel patrons were aboard.

“They kept promising us tickets, but we never got them,” said Reggie Levy, who says she and her husband lost $805.

Heisler said some people have received checks from Palmateer, but when they tried to cash them, they bounced.

Heisler said he and his wife, Mary, 78, lost a $1,716 payment on a Hawaiian cruise.

Palmateer confirmed that some of the company’s checks have bounced because of “financial problems.”

Nonetheless, he said, his customers will not be cheated out of their money: “They will all get their money back.”

Palmateer blames another travel agency from which he bought the travel accounts in August. “This other company took their deposits and ran,” he said. “We’ve paid almost $100,000 out of our own pockets to help these people out. . . . I thought it was good business to help form relationships, (but it) looks like I was wrong.”

He added that he is in the process of suing the other agency, which he said is defunct.