Vanessa Phillips, a Louisiana resident, said she was defrauded of nearly $1,100 intended for a Western Caribbean cruise. Phillips alleged that Armonte Domious Wilson, an associate she met on a previous cruise, requested the money to secure her spot on the MSC Seascape, which sailed from Galveston, Texas, from August 30 to September 6.
According to Phillips, Wilson ceased all communication as the sailing date approached. She later discovered that Wilson had allegedly booked his own cruise for $524 and excluded her from the reservation. Phillips then purchased a separate ticket for the same voyage with the stated intention of eliciting a confession from Wilson.
In a video posted to Facebook on September 5, Phillips confronted Wilson, who was reportedly in a jacuzzi on the ship. She questioned him about the whereabouts of her money, to which Wilson initially responded that he had it, but then admitted he did not have it on him when pressed. Wilson, who was seen in a jacuzzi on the vessel, denied taking Phillips' money and claimed she had not been removed from the reservation. Phillips stated that Wilson had initially sought a travel companion and she had made arrangements that included fabricated itineraries, booking numbers, invoices, and payments totaling approximately $1,100.
Wilson later denied the alleged scam, asserting that Phillips had disputed Venmo payments she had sent him. He stated in an Instagram message that he removed her from the booking after learning about the payment disputes. Wilson added that he was awaiting the outcome of the Venmo dispute resolution process.
The MSC Seascape offers seven-day Western Caribbean cruises from Texas, with travel packages starting at $524 per person for the following year.