Niagara police arrest woman in connection with cruise scam

Niagara police have charged a Fort Erie woman in connection with a cruise scam booked through a local Legion.

Police from the central fraud unit began investigating in February after receiving more than 140 complaints alleging that Karen Gushue from Ridgeway, took money for cruises that were never booked or weren’t as advertised.

Gushue is also known as Karen Robinson and Karen Hannis.

A press release said the alleged complaints suggest Gushue solicited funds between August 2016 and February 2017.

As a result of the investigation, police arrested 48-year-old Gushue on Tuesday.

She was charged with one count of fraud  over $5,000 ( defraud the public ) and one count of fraud under $5,000.

Gushue attended a bail hearing and was released on Wednesday.

The Ridgeway Legion has previously said that while a member organized the trip, it was not an official legion event.