A Canadian couple faces criminal charges for allegedly selling, but failing to provide, cruise ship vacations from a travel agency in Ogdensburg.

Ogdensburg City Police arrested 64 year old Linda M. Belanger (also known as Linda Orieux or Lynn Bell) and her 66 year old husband, Robert R. Belanger, of 457 Heathcliffe Lane, Kingston Ontario, Canada.

The couple was arrested on felony counts of fourth-degree grand larceny.

The arrest occurred at the Ogdensburg International Bridge Port of Entry.

The Belangers are accused of selling cruise ship vacations that they did not actually provide.

In this case they are each charged with selling a Cunard Cruise Lines Cruise at a NYMEX charity auction for $2,819 and selling an additional cruise upgrade for $2,100.

Police said the Belangers received payment in full of $4,929 but kept the money and never actually purchased a cruise for the winning bidder.

According to police, the victim was led to believe that he had a cruise booked right up until the day before the cruise was to sail on July 1, 2009.

Although the Belangers are Canadian citizens residing in Canada, they operated a travel agency called "Cruise Ship Holidays" out of 812 Proctor Avenue in the city of Ogdensburg, police said.

Police said the Belangers' sole business is to sell cruises online for charity auctions.

The process was supposed to be that the charity would obtain a cruise certificate from the Belangers, sell it at auction, pay Cruise Ship Holidays and keep any extra money for the charity, police said.

Cruise Ship Holidays was then supposed to pay for and book the cruise in the name of the winning bidder.

In January of 2009, Ogdensburg Police Detectives said they first became aware of suspicious activity by CSH when several members of the OREA (Ontario Real Estate Association) reported that they were charged many times over for the same cruise.

Police said they were the only victims not directly related to a charity as they purchased their cruises as part of a "Seminars at Sea" program through OREA.

Since then police have opened investigations for victims from Kansas, California, Texas, Washington, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Florida, New Jersey, New York and Canada.

The charities that were allegedly defrauded were the ADA (Alzheimer's Disease Association), UCSB Women's Soccer Benefit, Dallas Symphony Orchestra Benefit, NEDA (National Eating Disorders Association), John W. Nick Foundation (Male Breast Cancer Awareness), NYMEX Foundation (New York Mercantile Exchange for the Sick and Destitute),  FEATS (Families for the Effective Treatment of Autism) and the SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals).

The Ogdensburg Police Department worked with New York State Office of the Attorney General and the FBI for assistance due to territory related to the investigation.

Cruise Ship Holidays is not licensed to do business in New York state, police said.

CSH's victims are out thousands of dollars and some charities are in litigation, according to police.

Police said, many families had taken vacation time off and paid for non-refundable airline tickets only to find that they had no cruise waiting for them.

The Belangers were arraigned by Judge George Silver in Ogdensburg City Court.

They appeared with their attorney, were released and returned to the Port of Entry pending further court appearances.

More charges are pending.

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