Las Vegas travel agent facing mail fraud charges

A Las Vegas travel agent accused of stealing more than $200,000 from Catholic churches is facing federal mail fraud charges in New York.

Between March 2014 and June 2016, Vincent Maffucci persuaded members of two eastern New York churches to send money to his company for a trip to Europe that was supposed to take place last year, according to a criminal complaint.

After he used the money for personal gain, Maffucci, 77, identified in the complaint as the owner of ITC Tours on South Eastern Avenue, mailed the churches and said the trips had been canceled.

He was arrested in Las Vegas and charged with one count of mail fraud.

Maffucci appeared before a U.S. magistrate in Las Vegas last week. He was released on his own recognizance and is due in court in New York on Wednesday.