PENSACOLA, Fla. ( WKRG ) — A Pensacola-based company is under investigation after allegations of fraud tied to a modeling competition arose.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is handling the case, which lists charges of fraud and grand theft and outlines allegations of significant financial losses connected to the event.
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Virginia resident Sabrina Vaz and her daughter, Tagan Vaz-Barros, said they traveled to Florida to address concerns about the event.
Vaz said she paid approximately $3,000 for registration fees, hotel accommodations and clothing required for the competition. Bank statements provided by Vaz show a $6,000 payment to the company on Oct. 23, 2023, alongside additional charges linked to event-related expenses.
Despite these payments, the promised competition and accommodations never materialized.
“We paid for the event; we didn’t get the event. We paid for hotel rooms; we didn’t get the hotel rooms,” Vaz said in a phone interview.