Christmas Show Scams Fla. School Children
MIAMI - Busloads of school children who paid for a field trip celebrating the Christmas holidays learned a Grinchly lesson.
Thousands of youngsters had paid between $10 and $20 apiece to attend a show called "Christmas From Around the World." But when their school buses arrived Wednesday morning, the kids found a shuttered playhouse and a missing promoter — along with their money.
"The Grinch raised his ugly head today," said Mary Ross Agosta, spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Miami, which sent students from seven Roman Catholic schools to the show.
Miami police said the 50-year-old promoter, David Lee Ellisor, is wanted for questioning on possible fraud and grand theft charges.
"The fact that he's not showing up is making us very suspicious," police spokesman Lt. Bill Schwartz said Thursday. Police estimate Ellisor received at least $2,000 for the field trip and said he failed to pay a $1,600 bill at a local hotel last month.
The show was scheduled to run through Friday and listed as sponsors the city's police and fire departments and the Doubletree Hotel. Schwartz said none of them were involved.
School officials said Ellisor approached them months ago and had passed out glossy fliers and packets promoting the event.
Public records show Ellisor listed two phony addresses for his business, University Diplomatic Trust — one turns out to be a Pilates studio in North Miami and the other appears to be a Miami bridge.
Ellisor could not be located, but he left an apologetic recording at the phone number on his flier: "I'm so, so sorry to inform you the field trip has been postponed because we didn't have enough money to buy the presents. The city of Miami would not accept the school checks, and we've been fighting and we're sorry about this last-moment delay, but the field trip has been postponed until a couple of weeks from now."
Gregory Wright, manager of the Coconut Grove Expo Center, said Ellisor bounced a $5,000 down-payment check in early November but was told he could still make good on the check and open the show. "But he never did." Wright said his staff was shocked when the buses began arriving Wednesday.
Parents and the pupils said they were disappointed by the canceled field trip.
"This is really outrageous to do to children," said Maria Cruz Escobar, who had taken the day off to accompany her 10-year-old son, Emmanuel, with his class.
There is a bright side: Some of the children will be invited to a Christmas party planned by Miami Mayor Manny Diaz and his wife at the expo center.
MIAMI - Busloads of school children who paid for a field trip celebrating the Christmas holidays learned a Grinchly lesson.
Thousands of youngsters had paid between $10 and $20 apiece to attend a show called "Christmas From Around the World." But when their school buses arrived Wednesday morning, the kids found a shuttered playhouse and a missing promoter — along with their money.
"The Grinch raised his ugly head today," said Mary Ross Agosta, spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Miami, which sent students from seven Roman Catholic schools to the show.
Miami police said the 50-year-old promoter, David Lee Ellisor, is wanted for questioning on possible fraud and grand theft charges.
"The fact that he's not showing up is making us very suspicious," police spokesman Lt. Bill Schwartz said Thursday. Police estimate Ellisor received at least $2,000 for the field trip and said he failed to pay a $1,600 bill at a local hotel last month.
The show was scheduled to run through Friday and listed as sponsors the city's police and fire departments and the Doubletree Hotel. Schwartz said none of them were involved.
School officials said Ellisor approached them months ago and had passed out glossy fliers and packets promoting the event.
Public records show Ellisor listed two phony addresses for his business, University Diplomatic Trust — one turns out to be a Pilates studio in North Miami and the other appears to be a Miami bridge.
Ellisor could not be located, but he left an apologetic recording at the phone number on his flier: "I'm so, so sorry to inform you the field trip has been postponed because we didn't have enough money to buy the presents. The city of Miami would not accept the school checks, and we've been fighting and we're sorry about this last-moment delay, but the field trip has been postponed until a couple of weeks from now."
Gregory Wright, manager of the Coconut Grove Expo Center, said Ellisor bounced a $5,000 down-payment check in early November but was told he could still make good on the check and open the show. "But he never did." Wright said his staff was shocked when the buses began arriving Wednesday.
Parents and the pupils said they were disappointed by the canceled field trip.
"This is really outrageous to do to children," said Maria Cruz Escobar, who had taken the day off to accompany her 10-year-old son, Emmanuel, with his class.
There is a bright side: Some of the children will be invited to a Christmas party planned by Miami Mayor Manny Diaz and his wife at the expo center.
