Miami Couple Charged in $200K Cruise and Jewelry Fraud Scheme
Key Aspects:
A Miami couple was arrested after collecting more than $200,000 for cruise vacations and luxury watches that were never delivered.
Victims paid over $44,000 for fake reservations on a July 2023 sailing aboard Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas.
The suspects face multiple felony charges and up to 30 years in prison if convicted.
A discounted cruise vacation sounded like a good deal to several South Florida residents. But it turns out the deal was too good to be true.
Investigators say it was instead the center of a fraud scheme that lasted nearly three years and cost victims more than $200,000.
Authorities in Miami-Dade County arrested Maria Blasco Diaz and her husband, Antonio Diaz, this week after detectives said the pair collected money for cruise packages and luxury goods that were never delivered.
According to an arrest report from the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, the investigation began after victims reported paying thousands of dollars for cruise packages arranged through Maria Blasco Diaz.
One of the trips was scheduled for July 2023 aboard Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas, a 4,198-passenger Quantum-Ultra-class cruise ship that sails Caribbean itineraries from Fort Lauderdale’s Port Everglades.
Detectives said the victims paid more than $44,000 for cruise-related expenses for the planned sailing. But as the departure date approached, the trip never materialized.
According to investigators, Maria Blasco Diaz blamed the failed booking on a cruise line employee who had allegedly been fired.
“She told them the cruise reservations were cancelled because the employee who handled the booking was fired,” the arrest report states.
In one case described by local media, nearly 20 family members had their bags packed for a graduation cruise when the trip was cancelled just two days before departure after the reservation turned out to be fraudulent. The cruise offer was only part of what detectives say was a broader fraud scheme.
Authorities say the couple also collected large deposits from friends and acquaintances who believed they were purchasing luxury watches and jewelry at discounted rates.
Investigators said Maria Blasco Diaz offered what she described as a “friends and family” discount of about 50 percent on Rolex watches through her husband, who worked at a jewelry store.
In total, authorities say the couple collected $200,259.85 from victims, which the couple attempted to repay with checks drawn from bank accounts with insufficient funds.
Facing Serious Charges
The charges filed against the Miami-Dade couple carry some of the most serious penalties under Florida law.
According to the arrest report, Maria Blasco Diaz and Antonio Diaz face multiple felony charges, including organized fraud exceeding $50,000, grand theft of more than $100,000, issuing worthless checks, and theft involving an elderly victim.
If convicted, the penalties could include decades behind bars. Under Florida law, organized fraud and grand theft are first-degree felonies, punishable by up to 30 years in prison.
Cruise scams involving fake bookings are rare but not unheard of, particularly when trips are sold through unofficial channels.
In one recent case reported by Cruise Hive, a New York travel agent was accused of collecting thousands of dollars from clients for cruise vacations that investigators said did not exist.
Those fake cruise bookings were also for Royal Caribbean sailings, this time from Bayonne, New Jersey.
Cruise guests should be cautious when asked to pay large deposits through personal payment apps, wire transfers, or checks made out to individuals rather than established travel agencies.
Most cruise lines and accredited travel advisors process payments through secure booking systems that provide receipts and confirmations.
Passengers can stay safe by using a credit card, which typically offers protections and the ability to dispute charges if a booking turns out to be fraudulent.
Passengers can reduce the risk of fraud by confirming cruise reservations directly with the cruise line once a booking is made, as legitimate reservations generate a confirmation number that can be verified online or through the cruise line’s customer service department.
Authorities in Florida say anyone who believes they may have been affected by the Miami-Dade scheme should contact investigators.
Miami Couple Charged in $200K Cruise and Jewelry Fraud Scheme