Houston travel agent Sunita Hedaoo is currently facing serious allegations of theft after clients accused her of mishandling funds meant for their trips, but in a phone interview with KPRC 2, Hedaoo denied any intent to steal.
Hedaoo, who runs Kora Journeys, expressed her surprise upon learning that she was wanted for theft in Harris County.
“Why do they want me to go to jail when I’m even saying that I am here? I’m not running away,” the 52-year-old said.
Hedaoo is accused of stealing more than $423,000 intended to cover venue and transportation expenses for the wedding of former PetSmart CEO Bob Moran and his wife, Lisa, as KPRC 2 reported on Thursday night.
She was charged with aggregate theft on March 20, according to Harris County court records.
The Phoenix-area couple discovered just days before their wedding that outstanding balances were still due to the luxury eco-resort along Mexico’s Pacific Coast, and the resort threatened to cancel if they didn’t pay immediately.
“We got lured in, and we were duped because we trusted her,” Bob Moran said.
The couple has been pursuing civil and criminal action against Hedaoo, despite using her as their go-to travel agent for years prior to the loss. Hedaoo said she’s been in the industry for 30 years and “doing a wonderful job.”
In addition, the Morans said the money they paid her for booking their around-the-world honeymoon never made it to the right company and the reservation didn’t get booked.
“I’m still in shock. And now I really don’t trust people,” Lisa Moran said. “It’s just important to stop her from doing it to anybody else.”
Reached by phone Friday, Hedaoo would only acknowledge that the money was mishandled, but not stolen.
“What do you mean by mishandled? Was it stolen? Was it spent on something else? Where did it go?” KPRC 2’s Bryce Newberry asked.
“The money was unfortunately not handled correctly,” she explained. “It was mishandled by not applying it to the right bookings and paying for the wrong suppliers.”
Despite the allegations, Hedaoo insisted that she never stole the money and wouldn’t provide a name for her bookkeeper, who she claimed deposited some of the monies in his own accounts.
“I did not steal the money,” she said. “What do you mean by stealing money? Like, are you telling me that I went into their house and stole their money?”
She claimed that her health issues, including a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, contributed to her inability to manage her business effectively during a challenging period.
She also told the Morans her mother died around the time of their nuptial nightmare, which is a story they don’t believe, and she didn’t mention it during the phone interview.
“Everything just started slipping out of my hands,” Hedaoo said. “It was just like one bad wave and the one bad phase of time.”
Hedaoo admitted she owes at least four clients money and promised to repay them by the end of April.
But, according to an email provided by the Morans’ civil attorney, Hedaoo made the same promise last April and never followed through.
“I don’t blame the Moran’s to not trust me, you know. But I know deep in my heart the kind of professional that I have been in this industry and achievements in the success that I’ve achieved on my own talent,” Hedaoo said. “My intent to return the Moran’s money and my other clients’ money stands committed at 200%.”
A judge has ordered Hedaoo to pay the Morans more than $860,000, according to Harris County court records, but she disputes that ruling, claiming she owes them only $271,000.
She expressed frustration over not being aware of the default judgment against her until KPRC 2 made her aware of the records.
“I did not even go and attend the court date. I should have,” Hedaoo said.
In addition to the theft allegations, Hedaoo admitted to owing money for her office rental at a Galleria-area co-working space.
An active warrant for her arrest remains in Harris County but she said at the time of the call she was in California.
