Sep 23, 2008 5:37 am US/Eastern
Montgomery Co. Travel Agent Facing Theft Charges
ABINGTON (CBS 3) ―
A Montgomery County travel agent is facing charges after allegedly scamming a non-profit agency based out of St. Louis.
The Montgomery County District Attorney's office announced Frances Balshan of Abington is facing multiple counts of theft after allegedly stealing roughly $200,000 from a non-profit tied to the St. Louis Zoo.
"I didn't take any money," said Balshan as she walked into the courthouse with a smile on her face.
Balshan was apparently recruited by the St. Louis Zoo Friends Association to plan a 12-day trip to Kenya for a group of 38 in June 2007. After paying the funds for the trip, the group allegedly never received any tickets or itinerary from the Pennsylvania travel agent.
"She very cavalierly took other peoples money, lived off of it, ran her business off of it and then shrugged her shoulders when she got caught," said Montgomery County D.A., Risa Ferman.
After spending an additional $179,000 to make separate travel arrangements, the group contacted authorities.
Balshan has been accused of using their travel payments to fund her failing business and pay her personal expenses.
Balshan's travel agency, World Travel Vignettes on Old York Road in Abington, is no longer in business. She is currently awaiting arraignment.
In a statement the St. Louis Zoo said they are appalled by this incident and they did their research and didn't find anything in Balshan's background that raised a red flag.
A friend of a St. Louis Zoo decided to pay in full for the group to go on the safari despite having their money taken.
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