‘JEWELS OF ITALY’

New Jersey Teens Spend Thousands on Non-Existent Italy Trip

The high school seniors reportedly paid a “travel agency” for the trip through various Venmo accounts, including one called “Exclusively Yours Fazzolari.”

Thirty-five high school seniors from Whippany Park High School in New Jersey showed up at the airport for a summer trip to Italy to an unpleasant surprise: their plane tickets had never been purchased, even though they had paid for them. The trip, called “The Jewels of Italy,” was scheduled for June 26 through July 5, and students paid $4,000 each to participate, according to Fox 5. Students reportedly used a “travel agency” to book their flights, and paid their ticket prices to Venmo accounts, including one called “Exclusively Yours Fazzolari.” A source who was identified as an attorney for the alleged travel agency said the situation was a “misunderstanding” as the students’ parents demanded refunds and an explanation. Law enforcement is currently investigating the missing flight tickets and the case has resulted in some civil lawsuits with the possibility of a criminal case.