A Sydney travel agent has pleaded guilty to a fraudulent scheme that saw her pocket more than $77,000 by secretly cancelling clients’ international flights, including trips to Greece, Portugal, Lebanon and Iran.
Zahra Rachid, the 54-year-old director of Travel World Arncliffe, admitted to eight counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception in 2023 and 2024.
According to court documents, Rachid booked flights for customers but cancelled them shortly after, keeping the refunds for herself.
Many victims only discovered the fraud when attempting to confirm travel details – or, in one case, while standing at Sydney International Airport ready to board a flight to Athens.
That traveller had paid $2499 for an Etihad ticket to Greece in February 2024, unaware Rachid had cancelled the booking the same day.
Another customer lost more than $50,000 meant for business-class flights and accommodation for a family holiday to Lebanon and Portugal.
Court records show Rachid’s agency was in financial crisis at the time, with its bank account in negative balance on 837 occasions between January 2023 and June 2024.
Rachid originally faced 82 charges, but 72 were withdrawn. She will be sentenced in Downing Local Court in January.
Source: 9News.
