Dow
NEWARK, N.J. (Legal Newsline) - New Jersey Attorney General Paula Dow has announced a settlement barring the owner of numerous vacation travel club companies from doing business in the state for five years.
Additionally, Daryl T. Turner of Cherry Hill, N.J., is barred by the settlement from opening or operating any travel businesses in the future without state approval.
A 2009 lawsuit alleged that Turner and his vacation travel companies took payments from consumers and then failed to either provide the contracted travel packages or return the money.
Additionally, Turner and his companies allegedly failed to deliver promotional items that had been promised to consumers in return for their attendance at promotion seminars.
More than 670 affected consumers have been identified to date, Dow says.
The defendants also allegedly used the corporate logos of airlines, hotels and car rental companies in promotional materials without the permission of the companies.
The civil complaint against Turner and his companies had to be amended several times as additional travel club companies that were owned or operated by Turner were discovered throughout New Jersey. The final consent judgment includes nine of Turner's now shuttered travel companies, including Dreamworks Vacation Club, Dreamworks Vacations, Bentley Travel, Modern Destinations Unlimited, Blue Water, Vacation Clubs LLC doing business as La Bonne Vie Travel, Five Points Travel Company, Dream Vacations International Inc., and Away We Go Promotions LLC.
"We've reached a settlement that immediately puts an end to Mr. Turner's business activities and prevents him from offering vacation travel club memberships and services here for at least five years," Dow said. "After the five-year ban, we will not permit Mr. Turner to resume business unless he can prove to us that he is, and has been, in full compliance with the terms of the final consent judgment."
The final consent judgment, in addition to banning Turner from owning or operating any travel business in New Jersey for at least five years, includes a comprehensive list of conditions to ensure that any business Turner engages in will be conducted in strict compliance with state lw, including the requirement that Turner post a $250,000 bond with the state.
Under terms of the settlement, Turner is responsible for more than $2,188,000 in consumer restitution and $478,000 in civil penalties. He must also reimburse the state $419,780.10 for fees and costs.