State: Man bilked 198 consumers out of $2.2M
May 31, 2011 by admin
Filed under Travel Deals
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MORRISTOWN — Cherry Hill resident Daryl T. Turner and his wife treated themselves to a 2011 Range Rover and two other luxury cars this year, and opened a travel club business in Marlton, according to court documents.
Turner sounds like he is prospering. But the state Attorney General’s Office contends his buying power is at the expense of at least 198 consumers who allegedly were deceived by Turner into buying $2.2 million worth of vacation packages and memberships that didn’t deliver the promised dream getaways.
The state Division of Consumer Affairs, which operates under the Attorney General’s Office, has alleged that Turner is violating a settlement pact he made this past February in a Morris County courtroom to not sell or advertise vacation packages for the next five years.
A hearing has been set for June 10 before Judge Deanne Wilson in Morristown, at which the Attorney General’s Office will ask that Turner be restrained from selling, encumbering or transferring any assets, including cars and bank accounts.
The state wants Turner to disclose his individual and corporate income tax returns for the years 2008 through 2010 and wants him ordered to appear at a deposition the state will conduct.
Neither Turner nor his lawyer, Richard D. Gallucci, could be reached for comment, but a court official said that Gallucci indicated he would file an answer to the state’s motion before June 10.
The consumer affairs division in May 2009 first filed a lawsuit against Turner that alleged he was violating multiple sections of the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act and regulations governing advertising practices.
At that time, Turner had offices in Parsippany, Sewell, and Westhampton Township, and operated travel package businesses identified as Dreamworks Vacation Club, Dreamworks Vacations, Five Points Travel Co., Bentley Travel, Vacation Clubs LLC, Dream Vacations International Inc., Modern Destinations Unlimited, and Blue Water and Away We Go Promotions LLC.
Turner between 2007 and 2009 allegedly offered dream vacations to people who paid between $1,200 and $8,000 only to learn that promises of free gifts and incredible discounts on airfare and rooms at five-star hotels were empty, the state said.
Article source: http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20110530/NJNEWS/305300009/State-Man-bilked-198-consumers-out-2-2M?odyssey=nav%7Chead
