Two individuals and a corporation have pleaded guilty to multiple charges of operating as unregistered travel agents in Ontario, the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) has announced.
Bobby Singh pleaded guilty to six counts of operating without TICO registration.
Rajsri Modhvadia pleaded guilty to four counts of operating without registration and four counts of failing to take reasonable care as an Officer and Director to prevent the corporation from committing an offence.
RELATED: Do You Know Someone Who’s Owed Money by TICO?
RM Legal & Business Services Inc., the company connected to both individuals, pleaded guilty to six counts of operating as a travel agent without TICO registration.
The parties marketed themselves as ticket brokers, offering discounted airfare for both domestic and international travel. According to TICO, they collected consumer payments but failed to deliver the travel services or issue refunds.
In some cases, consumers only learned at the last minute that their flights had not been booked, forcing them to purchase costly last-minute tickets.
RELATED: TICO Appoints New Members to Consumer and Industry Advisory Councils
In one incident, the travel plans of 85 people attending a destination wedding were severely disrupted.
TICO said total consumer losses amount to $62,660. A small portion of that amount has been repaid, but Singh, Modhvadia, and RM Legal & Business Services Inc. still owe $58,160 in restitution to affected customers.
Bobby Singh, Rajsri Modhvadia and RM Legal & Business Services Inc. are scheduled to be sentenced in Court on September 12, 2025.
“TICO urges consumers to beware of travel deals that seem too good to be true,” the organization said, noting that travellers can check the registration status of travel businesses at tico.ca/search.
RELATED: TICO Sends Warning Shot with Series of Convictions and Charges
“TICO prosecutes unregistered companies and individuals to maintain a level playing field and the integrity of Ontario’s travel marketplace to ensure consumers are confident purchasing travel from registered professionals.”
Under Ontario’s Travel Industry Act, 2002, individuals convicted of offences may face fines up to $50,000 and/or up to two years in jail. Corporations can be fined up to $250,000.
Topics From This Article to Explore
link
More Stories
‘We’re Not Branding as Travel Counsellors’: Friisdahl on Partnership with UK Retailer
Travel Counsellors expands into North America with acquisition of The Travel Agent Next Door, Canada’s leading travel agent community
Samsung unveils the Galaxy Z Trifold, a foldable that lives up to its name