In Santa Cruz de Tenerife the defendant admitted partial guilt in the case concerning alleged fraud at a travel agency in Tejina on the second day of the trial. Before the Audiencia Provincial de Santa Cruz de Tenerife he confirmed that customers had not received the services they paid for, but attributed the cause to external circumstances. The Public Prosecutor’s Office is reportedly seeking up to six years’ imprisonment and around €38,000 in damages. The defence maintains that the defendant is innocent, but has indicated it would be willing to accept a two-year sentence for fraud as an alternative.
According to the defendant, the problems began in early 2023, when scheduling errors, cancellations and cash-flow difficulties became more frequent. The company collapsed in July 2023; since then, he was often unable to honour booked trips. From that point, complaints reportedly mounted, both in court and with the Oficina Municipal de Información al Consumidor of the municipality. Reports say around two dozen to just under 30 people were affected; they had allegedly paid for trips to places including Norway and Japan, but did not receive the services or were not fully reimbursed.
In court, the defendant attributed the failures to the after-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, an alleged campaign to damage his reputation on social media, human error in scheduling, and disputes with the franchise he had worked for. He said he had repaid some amounts; in other cases, the franchise had refused to compensate customers. These are the defendant’s claims and have not yet been confirmed by a court.
The prosecution accuses the man of fraud and misappropriation. The evidence includes testimony from affected customers, contract and payment records, and complaints submitted to the Oficina Municipal de Información al Consumidor. A decision is expected no earlier than the end of the scheduled trial days. Any civil reimbursements will be decided separately.
The case concerns a travel agency in the Tejina district of the municipality of San Cristóbal de La Laguna. It joins several recent cases in the Canary Islands in which consumers have taken action against travel agents. Authorities and industry associations have long stressed the need to keep careful records of payments and provide customers with clear information. It remains to be seen whether the ongoing case will lead to further regulatory measures.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).