Maria Rowena Santiago Belen pleaded guilty to one count of operating as a travel retailer without registration contrary to the Ontario Travel Industry Act.
Belen offered travel services in Toronto and elsewhere in Ontario. As a result of the conviction, the following sentence was imposed on Belen: Incarceration for a period of 12 months to be served concurrently with the criminal sentence currently being served; Free Standing Restitution Order in the amount of $81,578.21 in favour of 24 consumers who paid Belen for travel services that were not provided.
On Feb. 15, Belen was convicted of one count of Defrauding the Public contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada, relating to approximately 70 individuals who paid $301,736.17 for travel services not provided.
Belen was sentenced to a period of incarceration that is the equivalent of 21 months and a Free Standing Restitution Order in the amount of $301,736.17.