Arrest made in travel company fraud case

A South Lake Tahoe woman is accused of operating a fraudulent travel business near Reno.

Washoe County Sheriff’s Office received 71 complaints from victims of this business since the investigation began in September 2015.

Vivian Saenz-Alvarado, 39, was arrested Dec. 7 and a week later transferred to the Washoe County Detention Facility on Dec. 14. She is charged with four counts of embezzlement, four counts of obtaining money under false pretense, and four counts of using a credit card of another without consent.

Vivian Saenz-Alvarado was the owner of Vysa Travel, a vacation travel company which operated in the Sun Valley area and unexpectedly closed in fall 2015.  Numerous customers told detectives they prepaid for vacations through the company prior to the closing of Vysa Travel and the money was never refunded.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report