The travel agent who stole thousands of dollars from Essence Festival tourists will spend the next nine years in prison after pleading guilty to ripping off nearly 100 people.
Nakesia Washington, who was the sole owner of OBL Travel in Marrero, pleaded guilty to theft of more than $25,000 or greater from 98 victims. All the victims live outside of Louisiana.
According to the Jefferson Parish DA’s office, Washington took money from customers to arrange their hotel reservations, VIP party passes, concert tickets, travel insurance and other festival related purchases. Her customers came to New Orleans to learn they had no hotel reservation at all and no access to the Essence Festival activities they had paid for.
Detectives found that Washington did pay for some of the services her customers ordered, but deposited more than $240,000 into her business bank account and used that money for her own personal enjoyment.
Judge Ellen Shirer Kovach sentenced Washington to a 15-year prison sentence, with six years suspended. Washington will spend 9 years in prison total and three years active probation, during which she must pay restitution to the victims.
A restitution hearing has been set for July 11 to determine how much she owes the victims.