Judge orders travel companies to pay more than $4.8M

Listen to this article

Two companies who deceived customers about travel club memberships will have to pay more than $4.8 million in restitution and penalties, according to a release from the state Attorney General’s Office.

Outagamie County Circuit Judge Dee Dyer ordered judgment entered against the Litchfield, Ill.-based Travel Services Inc., its principals, William Bailey and Christy Spensberger, West Allis-based Going Places Travel Corp., and its owners, Perry and Lisa Ruiz.

A jury in January found that the companies gave customers documents that contained untrue and misleading information about discounts on travel, according to the release. The disputed clubs were Castaways Vacations Club and Phoenix Vacation Clubs, which were operated by Travel Services.

The sales happened at Going Places Travel offices in Brookfield and Appleton between 2006 and 2009, according to the news release. The state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection started receiving complaints in 2007.

The judgment orders the companies to pay $3.8 million in restitution, $841,599 in forfeitures and assessments, and $215,042 in legal fees to the state. Dyer also limited their future business activities in Wisconsin, according to the release.