Livonia Man Charged In Senior Citizen Travel Scam
LANSING (WWJ) - A 44-year-old Livonia man who allegedly scammed over 100 senior citizens into paying for vacations they would never take is facing jail time after being charged with nine felonies.
Kenneth Second and his company, Timeway Tours, were arraigned Dec. 17 in the 16th District Court on one count of conducting criminal enterprises/racketeering, a 20-year felony; two counts of using a computer to commit a crime, a seven-year felony; and six counts of larceny by conversion, a five-year felony.
An investigation into Second and his company began after complaints were filed with the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division about services not being provided after payments were made.
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette said the victims, the majority whom were elderly, responded to newspaper ads by Timeway Tours for trips to destinations such as the Kentucky Derby, Branson and the Florida Gulf Coast. When victims who failed to receive confirmation of their trips requested more information, they were allegedly promised refunds that never materialized.
Timeway Tours defrauded at least 100 victims in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Jackson and Traverse City, for a total of between $150,000 and $200,000, Schuette said.
According to the charges, Second spent most of the cash at casinos.
"It is absolutely shameful to prey on innocent seniors who are living their golden years on limited budgets," Schuette said in a statement. "I will not hesitate to prosecute these crimes to the full extent of the law."
Second was released on a $100,000 personal recognizance bond and ordered to wear a tether. He's due back in court for a preliminary exam on Dec. 27.
