The travel agent who allegedly conned newlyweds out of R22 000 and ruined their honeymoon to Thailand has been busted. Picture: Supplied
Cape Town – The travel agent who allegedly conned newlyweds out of R22 000 and ruined their honeymoon to Thailand has been busted.
The dramatic arrest of Crescenda “Chrissy” Meyer took place late on Thursday after she was hunted down by cops from Johannesburg for another case.
Last month, Meyer allegedly defrauded a Joburg woman out of more than R100 000 for a trip to Zanzibar that never materialised.
A person in Milnerton also laid charges for fraud involving R400 000.
But Meyer’s luck ran out last week when Andre and Michelle Ford, who tied the knot on 24 November, told their story to the Daily Voice and made a case against her last week.
The couple said they spent R40 000 in total on their honeymoon, which included travel and accommodation with Meyer, and an additional R20 000 for clothing, luggage bags and transfers in Thailand.
They said Meyer was an acquaintance of theirs and owns Breakaway Travel.
According to the couple, she supplied them with fake documents for flights with Singapore Airline and booked but then cancelled their accommodation in Thailand.
A calm-looking Meyer made her first appearance at the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court on Friday morning where she was supported by relatives.
State prosecutor Kagiso Kraai informed the court Meyer had a string of alleged fraud charges against her.
“The accused on August 20 defrauded a couple out of R22 000, the accused is a travel agent and the complainant’s accommodation payment was made to the accused.
“When they were just about to board the plane, they found that the information (documentation) was fake and now we have the accused before court.
“She also has similar cases in Johannesburg of over R100 000 and a Milnerton case of R400 000 and this is her modus operandi.”
The matter was postponed to Monday for her bail application.
Kraai said the State would be opposing bail.
Meyer’s relatives began crying in court as she was led to the holding cells.
Michelle told the Daily Voice she is glad Meyer has been caught: “She needs to face the consequences now. We understand that more people are coming forward.”
By IOL News.