Marine Travel Services Alicia Ann Mahar Tax Evasion - Credit Card Fraud - Theft - Government Debarment Virginia Beach, Virginia

As a former employee who had complete access to the accounting records which included the credit card records for several years,bank statements, income tax returns and financials it did not take me very long after coming to work for Alicia Mahar at Marine Travel Services to see that there was something illegal going on at the company.  The most shocking part of figuring this out is that it was at these practices were common practice with the orders were coming directly from Alicia Mahar herself. 

At first you want to believe she was a victim of bad accountants and her ex-husband, but the longer you are with the company the more apparent from their daily practices it became that Alicia was COMPLETELY IN CHARGE of EVERY aspect of the company.  NO DECISIONS were made wit out Alicia's approval.

It was common practice for Alicia, who had to approve every refund, to refuse to allow the staff to issue credit card refunds and the staff was directed by Alicia herself to lie to the client and tell them they were either already issued or in the process of being issued. Unfortunately her clients were not the only people she was stealing from.  Her employees were victims too. 

She would withhold payroll taxes and insurance from her employees checks but did not file her payroll tax reports or pay the taxes.  When I was there she was already a year behind on paying the taxes.   The IRS actually has been investigating this issue and has interviewed several of the employees regarding Alicia's tax issues. Paychecks would bounce and she would blame it on someone else even though the money was in the account when payroll was run, but then something like her American Express, house payment, or car payment would come due and she would pay it first with no concern for the employees.

It was also common practice for the company to charge a credit card even if the ticket had been voided or they knew it was going to be voided.  When the accounting staff refused to do these charges Alicia would charge them herself or have daughter do so. 

Alicia along with her ex-husband Howard issued thousands of dollars of refunds to their personal credit cards and then she claimed she knew nothing about the refunds to the credit card company and credit card processor.  Even after Alicia claimed it was Howard who had acted on his own she refused to press charges and continued to double charge clients.  Her credit card processor actually shut her processing down due to all the fraudulent charges and refunds she was processing thru their system.  But that did not stop her, she just moved onto a smaller, unsuspecting processor who she then processed thousands of more fraudulent charges through.  These are just a few examples of the unethical and illegal practices that Alicia Mahar promoted in her daily business practices. 

Alicia Mahar will tell you she never received a paycheck and how hard she worked to grow her company.  But the truth is from an accounting standpoint is that she used her company assets to support her lavish lifestyle.  The company paid 100% of her living and personal expenses right down to her shopping habits and her American Express was ALWAYS the first thing paid no matter what.

The original report about Marine Travel Services was a correct statement and the ex-employee who posted the next two rebuttals obviously is either Alicia Mahar herself since these are all the same things she use to tell her staff.  

I would advise any consumer or potential employee to beware of geting involvd in these types of business practices! 

I have read these posts and feel that I had to post the truth.  I am a REAL former employee of Marine Travel Services.  The rebuttals listed were both written by the Owner and CEO (which means Chief Embezzlement Officer in this case) Alicia Mahar.  It is easy to recognize the dramatic language.  Did you really think anyone in the world would believe a word you say? 

The original posts made to this website are accurate.  YOU - Alicia Mahar - bled the company dry and stole millions of dollars through credit card fraud and denied refunds.  It is so gross and pathetic that you are still trying to blame someone else.  Everyone in the travel industry and airline industry knows exactly what you are.

You didn't just close your credit card processor - you were shut down for fraud.  Bank Accounts closed for fraud.  Customers suing you for fraud.  Your ability to issue airline tickets was cut off for non-payment.   Are they all lying too?

The IRS and the FBI have interviewed several former employees and all roads led back to YOU.  It is sad that you are not behind bars yet but we are all hopeful that you will be in a cell soon.  There has been some justice so far because your cars have been re-possessed, your house  is constantly listed for sheriff's sale, and you filed bankruptcy to avoid the lawsuits against you.   No more CEO, no more big house, no more Porsche, --- that is awesome news to the people you stole from.   You are now an unemployed person - just like you left your employees.  No final paychecks and no apology.  Just some excuse about how you were once again a "victim".  Disgusting.

Your victims were not just customers, they were also your employees who trusted you until they figured out that you are a low-life thief who isn't capable of making an honest living so has to steal from people. 

All the ex-employees should get together and tell the whole truth to a reporter to make this story public.  I am sure the local media would be more than happy to reveal the huge scam that was run in Virginia Beach.  We could probably even get a quote from the Federal agencies that you say are not investigating you.   I am sure we can get some input from your victims as well.  By the way, all documentation is available to prove every single detail of your theft, lies, fraud and every other sickening part of you. 

All former employees - make a post on this website and tell the truth.   Alicia can't do anything to anyone as long as they are telling the truth.  She may threaten to get her lawyer - but remember that a lawyer costs money and Alicia is not big on paying bills. 

I have known the owner of Marine Travel Services for a long time, as well as her family.  I was also an employee.  The vicious post written by someone who obviously could not have first hand information is not credible, rather intended to ruin Ms. Mahar.  The company she spent 13 years building, also employed her daughters, ex-husband and sister.  The company suffered internal embezzlement and credit card fraud by a large company in Florida.  The company was NOT investigated by the FBI, and the IRS is investigating the embezzler! 

I also know for a fact that the company closed it's credit card processing account for Mastercard, and Visa almost a year ago.  Claims of recent transactions are not true. 

I was a close friend of the owner (Alicia Mahar) and her family.  Sadly, after 13 years of building a company that employed both her daughters, her ex-husband, and her sister - the company suffered embezzlement by an employee, and credit card fraud by a large client in Florida.  To the best of my knowledge, Ms. Mahar worked tiredly to rebuild the company however the past was too much to overcome.

Not only was I close friend, an employee also.  Claims of investigation by the FBI and IRS are untrue; in fact the IRS has turned it's attention toward the embezzler.  Claims of lying under oath to a judge are curious, as I don't believe the company or Ms. Mahar was before a judge representing the company.

There is always more to a story then people see from the outside.  This situation was a heartbreaker for all involved.