Francisco (Frank) Cardona

TORONTO — Francisco (Frank) Cardona is making headlines again, pleading guilty to and convicted of one count of operating as a travel agent without registration, contrary to section 4(1)(a) of the Travel Industry Act, 2002.

Cardona’s sentence includes a fine of $10,000, to be paid within two years, and restitution totalling $4,060.

Cardona was also sentenced to year of probation requiring him to report to a probation officer. And before he accepts a job in the travel industry he must inform his prospective employer, in writing, of his conviction under the Travel Industry Act, 2002, plus he has to inform the Registrar, in writing, of the position being offered, the name of the travel agent and the term of employment and provide proof that he has informed his prospective employer of his conviction.

Cardona paid $1,500 in restitution payments prior to being sentenced by the court.

Cardona was also convicted criminally on Jan.10, 2018 of one count of fraud over $5,000. Sentencing in the criminal matter will be conducted at a later date.

Cardona operated in Toronto. He was previously an outside sales representative for Tri World Travel. Tri World Travel was convicted in September 2017 in relation to actions when Cardona was its outside sales representative.

Tri World Travel really hit the consumer headlines after police arrested Cardona in 2016 and charged him with fraud. The travel agency in Toronto’s Bathurst and Eglinton area went belly up right at March Break, leaving more than 80 would-be travellers in the lurch to the tune of more than $100,000.

At the time TICO put out a Consumer Alert on Cardona after receiving a number of complaints from consumers who received unauthorized charges on their credit cards after booking travel services with him.

In June 2016 TICO charged 1054304 Ontario Limited o/a Tri World Travel (‘Tri World’), a registered travel agent operating in Toronto and elsewhere in Ontario and Gary Cristello, Officer/Director of Tri World, under the Travel Industry Act, 2002 (the Act) and Ontario Regulation 26/05 (the Regulation) with several offences including furnishing false information relating to the provision of travel services and failing to hold in trust and deposit customer funds in trust accounts.