A couple who operated a travel agency which defrauded band students and parents at Eastlake High School and elsewhere will be released in November after being sentenced to two years in jail for embezzlement.
Bradley Matheson, 53, has a projected release of Nov. 10, 2018, according to the sheriff’s department. His wife, Margaret Lynne Matheson, 44, has a projected release date of Nov. 15, 2018.
The Florida couple operated as Harmony International, and sold airline tickets to Japan to band students at Eastlake High and three other schools, but they ended up going bankrupt. The students and parents paid for the tickets at approximately $3,687 per person.
Bradley and Margaret Matheson pleaded guilty in January to embezzlement as well as two counts of violating the state Seller of Travel Act in failing to maintain passenger funds in a trust account and failing to provide refunds. In Febuary a San Diego Superior Court judge sentenced them both to two years in county jail.
They have both been in jail since Nov. 28, 2017, and are being released after serving almost one year. The sheriff’s department has the authority to release sentenced prisoners in their custody after they serve approximately half of their sentence.
The judge ordered the couple to pay back $69,909 to students and parents.
The case was prosecuted by both District Attorney Summer Stephan and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra in a partnership. They said the total loss at all four high schools was $99,000.
Bradley Matheson began planning for the trips in December 2014 and met with at least one high school band director. Matheson provided students and their parents with brochures explaining details of the trip. Parents could make payments in installments. Students at other high schools included San Marcos High, Mission Hills High, and Del Norte High.
Bradley Matheson sent e-mails to parents in April, 2017 that announced cancelation of the trips. The Mathesons’ attorney told parents the company had filed for bankruptcy and could not issue refunds.
The California Seller of Travel Act requires that everyone who sells travel packages register as a seller of travel with the Attorney General’s office. Once registered, sellers are required to maintain a bond or trust account to protect passengers from loss. They are also required to refund money if the trip is canceled, according to the state Attorney General’s office.
The couple was indicted on 95 charges with 68 victims in November 2017. Another seven victims were later added. Most of the charges were dropped after they pleaded guilty to three counts.
Bradley Matheson is serving his sentence at the East Mesa Detention Facility near the border. Margaret Matheson is serving her term at the Las Colinas Women’s Detention Facility in Santee.
