Robert Thomas, Telemarketing Scam, Illinois 2013

Grimy Times has uncovered a massive timeshare scam that has left thousands of victims in its wake. Robert Thomas, a 36-year-old telemarketer from Lake Worth, Florida, has pleaded guilty to a one-count information for his role in the scam.

According to the Southern District of Illinois, Thomas worked for Creative Vacation Solutions and Universal Marketing Solutions, two companies that allegedly operated a telemarketing timeshare resale scheme targeting timeshare owners in the United States and Canada. The scam bilked over 22,000 victims out of $30 million dollars.

The scheme involved Thomas and his companies falsely representing that they had found buyers for the consumers’ timeshare interests and soliciting fees of up to several thousand dollars from each consumer in purported pre-paid closing costs and related expenses. In reality, the purported sales did not occur, closings were not scheduled as was often represented, and Creative Vacation Solutions and Universal Marketing Solutions did not successfully sell any consumer’s timeshare interest.

The scope of the scam was staggering, with victims located in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, all 10 Canadian provinces, and the Northwest Territory of Canada. In Illinois alone, at least 54 victims were identified in 27 of the state’s 38 counties.

Thomas’s guilty plea is just one of many in connection with this scam. Multiple others have been charged, including Jennifer Kirk, who pleaded guilty on June 30, 2011, and was sentenced to over 16 years in prison and five years’ supervised release. Other defendants, including Steve Folan, Ryan Brazel, and Brian Morris, have also pleaded guilty and received significant prison sentences.

Thomas is set to be sentenced on October 28, 2013, and faces a maximum sentence of up to 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The case is a stark reminder of the dangers of telemarketing scams and the importance of being vigilant when dealing with unsolicited calls or emails.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois has been working tirelessly to bring those responsible for this scam to justice. This case serves as a warning to others who would seek to profit from the hard-earned savings of honest citizens.

Defendant: Robert Thomas

Criminal Charge: One-count information

City and State: Lake Worth, Florida

Exact Date: July 1, 2013

Sentence: Sentencing set for October 28, 2013

Dollar Amount: $30 million

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