Cherry Hill man charged with theft in travel scam

A Cherry Hill travel club owner was arrested Monday on allegations that he stole more than $75,000 from people who thought they were buying exotic vacations.

The theft charges against Daryl Turner, 39, owner of Dreamworks Vacation Club, came after a February civil agreement that included more than $2.2 million in restitution for more than 600 customers who bought packages dating to 2008 through Dreamworks and other companies operated by Turner.

Turner also had agreed to pay nearly $900,000 in fines and prosecution costs and had been barred from operating a business in New Jersey for five years, said Jeff Lamm, spokesman for the Division of Consumer Affairs for the Attorney General's Office.

Instead, Lamm said, Turner - along with his wife, Robyn Bernstein, 42 - continued selling vacation packages using a different company name, Travel Deals Limited Liability Co. of Marlton.

In June, both were named in a second civil complaint filed by Consumer Affairs. Meanwhile, the Division of Criminal Justice for the Attorney General's Office launched an investigation that led to the criminal charges. Turner was arrested Monday at his Cherry Hill home.

Lamm said authorities were looking at Turner's assets, hoping to cover restitution.

Authorities allege that customers paid thousands of dollars expecting vacations that may have included destinations such as Mexico or Hawaii, depending on the package purchased. When they tried to book the vacation, authorities said, the customers were left empty-handed.

In 2009, Turner's attorney said thousands of other customers were happy and Turner had not bilked anyone. Turner, his attorney, and Bernstein could not immediately be reached Monday for comment.