Victoria Cruises Line is the topic of a brand new file not too long ago launched by way of the Fraud Investigator with the Utah Division of Trade’s Department of Client Coverage.
The state company has taken motion in opposition to the Hungarian corporate and necessarily put a forestall to its U.S. gross sales efforts consistent with the file.
This was once caused by a large number of consumers who had stressed out $10,000 or extra to a checking account in Hungary as a deposit for a residential-style global cruise that has now been not on time to 2025.
The ones shoppers, asking to not be named, have mentioned they consider that the cruise presentations no indicators of going down, with allegations that the corporate isn’t issuing refunds.
“I recognize that buyers in the USA and different nations have been harmed by way of the behavior of Victoria Cruises Line KFT and I sincerely remorseful about my participation and facilitation in their actions,” mentioned Valerie Sariahlyn Linderoth within the document, who was once the corporate’s U.S. emblem ambassador and in keeping with her care for the state of Utah, has agreed to now not constitute the corporate.
“I don’t consider that buyers who paid Victoria Cruises Line KFT will obtain the promised cruise nor money back in their bills,” Linderoth mentioned.
The corporate’s headquarters is an condo in Hungary (pictured above).
In line with one buyer that requested to not be quoted, different key corporate officers come with proprietor Viktória Judit Takács-Ollram and her son and vp, Marcell Herold, who could also be a school pupil on the College of Florence. They’re believed to be founded in an condo in Florence, Italy. Herold is alleged to be working the day by day operation.
The corporate, which prior to now operated as Akoya Gold Business and Provider, claims to have a deal for a boat that has been laid up in Greece since 2020 and its U.S.-based gross sales consultant, Linderoth, lived in Utah, which helped cause the state’s passion after a large number shopper lawsuits.
The document was once made public on Monday and is 13 pages lengthy, portray a less-than-ideal image of the corporate and its industry practices.
Of word, amongst many findings, the document came upon that corporate claimed to make use of a large number of workforce contributors, but none of the ones contacted showed their employment. It additionally alleges a faux LinkedIn profile for the corporate’s CEO and questions his lifestyles.
Moreover, the corporate had no longer filed essential regulatory paperwork or surety bonds with the Federal Maritime Fee (FMC), nor had they reserved a departure date from the Florida Port Authority as marketed.
In line with consumers, the corporate has not on time wiring again refunds for its cruise get started up that was once firstly set to sail in 2022 and has been time and again not on time.
Publicly to be had Hungarian tax information display Viktória Judit Takács-Ollram having a private tax debt of over $150,000 as of 2020, which was once lowered to only $27,000 by way of 2023.
Additional info despatched to Cruise Trade Information presentations that Vivien Eva Horvath, the logo’s social media advertising supervisor, and Herold seem to be engaged in a separate industry challenge in renting out Maseratis in Italy and Southern France. Commercials selling the industry on Fb checklist Victoria Cruises Line because the advert purchaser.