An arrest warrant has been issued today for Marblehead resident Robert Goodwin, according to a press release from the Volusia Sheriff’s Office in northern Florida.
Goodwin and his travel agency, Stone & Compass, are accused of defrauding 104 high school students and chaperones in Volusia County out of $400,000 for an international trip that was canceled without refunds, according to the press release.
Detective Bill Weaver, who has been working on the case, told the Current Tuesday evening that Goodwin faces four counts, including grand theft and scheme to defraud. His bond is set at $4 million.
An arrest warrant has been issued for Robert Goodwin of Marblehead, seen here on a past trip to Greece with his travel company, Stone & Compass. COURTESY PHOTO
“After a lengthy multi-agency investigation, we found irrefutable proof that he (Goodwin) was involved in a large, organized scheme to defraud not only Seabreeze High School but also Flagler College,” Weaver said. “Once he’s apprehended, he’ll definitely be extradited to Florida to stand trial for the charges.”
The press release explains that the charges stem from a nine-day class trip to Italy and Greece, which was to begin in June 2024. Each traveler paid a minimum of $3,550 in travel fees that included airfare, lodging and excursions, according to the Sheriff’s Department.
“One month before the trip, the agency emailed the students (saying) it was going out of business and there was no money to offer refunds,” the press release states. “Shortly after, the agency’s website went down and all previous contact phone numbers and email addresses were inactive. The investigation revealed the agency was being sued by numerous other organizations for similar allegations to include Flagler College in St. Augustine.”
The Current reported earlier this month that Goodwin and Stone & Compass are named in a complaint filed by the Florida Attorney General’s Office, which alleges they violated Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. The AG is asking a judge to order Goodwin to pay $2.6 million in restitution and civil penalties, and ban him from doing business in Florida.
In the spring of 2024, Stone & Compass abruptly canceled trips for hundreds of students and adults around the country, in some cases mere days before the trips were set to depart. Goodwin told the Current that the cancellations were necessary after Stone & Compass was defrauded out of nearly $900,000 by two New York financial institutions. In August 2024, the New York Attorney General’s Office told the Current, “This matter is still under review.” Contacted last week, the New York AG’s office said, “We do not have anything to share at the moment.”
In the Florida AG’s complaint, Goodwin and Stone & Compass are accused of “deceptive business practices as it relates to marketing, selling, offering, providing or accepting payment for group travel services to students, parents and/or faculty members at Seabreeze High School in Volusia County, Florida, and Flagler College in St. Johns County, Florida.”
The AG’s complaint alleges Goodwin owes $181,800 to 43 consumers at Seabreeze High School.
“Each participant paid $3,550 for the base package and additional costs for any desired upgrades,” the complaint states. “On May 9, 2024, approximately 4 1/2 weeks prior to the date that the consumers were scheduled to depart for their foreign study program, defendants notified a representative of Seabreeze High School via electronic email that their group tour had been canceled. The Seabreeze High School consumers repeatedly requested that defendants refund the payment that they had made for the canceled foreign study program trip. However, defendants have failed to do so.”
Attempts to reach Goodwin have been unsuccessful.
Lawsuits
In August 2024, the Current reported that Goodwin and Stone & Compass were named in seven New York lawsuits by financial companies who claimed Goodwin owed them a total of $863,118.
Goodwin and Stone & Compass are alleged to have breached their contracts with the plaintiffs. In one case, Square Funding said it purchased 10.50% of Stone & Compass’ receivables for $246,750 and that Goodwin agreed to set up a bank account from which Square Funding could make withdrawals until the money was paid back. Square Funding claims that after depositing $49,350, Goodwin stopped adding money.
By August 2024, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office had received six complaints regarding Stone & Compass, according to a spokesperson from the AG’s office.
This is a developing story. Stay with the Current.
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Editor Leigh Blander is an experienced TV, radio and print journalist.
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