LACKAWANNA COUNTY, Pa. — Residents from Lackawanna County who had booked tours to Italy through Thompson Travel were left disappointed and out of pocket after their trips were abruptly canceled, and they never received their refunds. Authorities have now charged the travel agent responsible, Eileen M. Miner, 69, with multiple criminal offenses.
Miner, who operated Thompson Travel from Moosic, was arrested after stealing over $40,000 from nine victims in South Abington Township and Archbald. Police charged her with felony theft, criminal use of a communication facility, receiving stolen property, and access device fraud.
The first report of the scam came from Joseph Traino Jr., a South Abington Twp. resident, who, along with his family, had prepaid $23,000 for a trip to Italy scheduled for October 2023. Despite paying for the trip months in advance, Traino’s family found out on the day of their flight that the tour had been canceled, and they were promised a refund that never came.
As authorities investigated, it was revealed that similar incidents had occurred in Archbald, where four more individuals had booked Italy tours with Miner’s agency, spending $19,000 in total. Just like the Traino family, their trips were canceled, and they never received any refunds.
Miner was also linked to a welfare check incident on October 7 when she was found in the Mohegan Pennsylvania parking lot, later taken for a mental health evaluation. Police suspect that she may have used the stolen funds for gambling at the casino and are pursuing a search warrant for her gambling account activity.
Following her arrest, Miner was arraigned on the charges and taken to the Lackawanna County Prison, where she was unable to post bail of $100,000. A preliminary hearing is set for October 29.
This case highlights the importance of vigilance when booking travel services and serves as a reminder of the potential for fraud within the travel industry.
