Former Jacksonville Resident Pleads Guilty To Wire Fraud In Florida

Juan Carlos Arteaga, a 58-year-old man from Conroe, Texas, has pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in Florida. Arteaga faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and has agreed to pay at least $779,687 in restitution to the victims of his offenses.

According to the plea agreement, Arteaga operated as a de facto travel agent, soliciting friends, business contacts, acquaintances, and referrals to purchase sham travel arrangements from him. Despite not being a licensed travel agent, Arteaga held himself out as someone who could provide customers with heavily discounted travel arrangements for both domestic and international travel.

Arteaga used some of the funds he obtained from victims to purchase travel arrangements for others, which delayed discovery of the scheme. He also used some of the proceeds from the scheme for his personal enrichment, including his mortgage payment, short-term loans, credit card and cable bills, grocery purchases, nursing home expenses, and withdrawing large amounts of cash.

Two of the victims of Arteaga’s scheme were P.C. and A.C., who were longtime friends of Arteaga. In 2018, P.C. and A.C. began talking to Arteaga about a trip around the world through Road Scholar, Explore the World by Private Jet. Arteaga said that the Road Scholar trip would cost approximately $100,000, but if P.C. and A.C. paid him by the next day, Arteaga could get them the trip for $60,000.

However, Arteaga did not use any of the funds he had received from A.C. and P.C. toward any trip with Road Scholar. Instead, he used the money to make travel arrangements for other victims and for himself, as well as to repay other travel victims. Arteaga has been charged with wire fraud and is facing a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.

The case was investigated by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.

Arteaga’s sentencing date has not yet been set. In the meantime, he will face the consequences of his actions and the $779,687 in restitution he has agreed to pay to the victims of his scheme.

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