TAMPA, Fla. — A former Tampa Bay area travel agent who pleaded guilty to defrauding hundreds of people out of over half a million dollars is headed to federal prison.
A judge ordered Diana Hopkins to spend three years behind bars and to pay back $432K to her victims
Hopkins asked the court to serve her time at the federal prison in Coleman about an hour north of Tampa. She is expected to surrender and begin serving her sentence in September.
Hopkins cried as she apologized in court Monday for defrauding 320 customers out of half a million dollars. Federal prosecutors earlier this year charged the former travel agent with peddling high-end Norwegian Mediterranean cruise packages to customers, taking the money for the trips, and then spending it on herself.
Hopkins, who lives in Wimauma, sold the fantasy to Karen Regan and 60 of her closest friends. Regan told ABC Action News it was supposed to be the trip of a lifetime, but they never got to go.
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In March, Hopkins pleaded guilty to fraud-related charges. In a court filing, the government said the financial losses to victims totaled $508,000. Investigators accused Hopkins of using the money to pay for restaurant meals, jewelry, shopping and cruises for family members, plus the purchase of a 2019 Dodge Ram.
"She deserves to go to jail. She, she not only scammed people, hundreds of people, she scammed Norwegian (Cruise Line),” Regan said.
Hopkins’ attorney Mark O’Brien told ABC Action News his client takes full responsibility for her actions.
“These are individuals who saved up money to go on vacations, and Ms. Hopkins broke that trust,” he said. “And that's why she accepted responsibility when she pleaded guilty and accepted her prison sentence.”
Prosecutors said, “Ms. Hopkins’ criminal activity was far-reaching and spanned a period of more than two years. It involved the use of social media and other technology, including multiple payment processing services.”
Her attorney blamed her actions on a gambling addiction and said it was not pure greed.
“She used that money inappropriately, and she feels tremendous regret and sadness, and she is taking steps to receive help for her gambling addiction," said O’Brien.
He asked the judge to deviate downward from sentencing guidelines. In a court filing, O’Brien said his client "...has continued to make restitution payments to her victims up to the time of her arrest." O’Brien estimates Hopkins paid back about $80,000 of the $508,000 owed to victims.
Karen Regan and her group got their money back after contacting Norwegian and filing credit card disputes. Now several years later, other victims continue to wait.
Court filings revealed Hopkins is a mom and foster parent to a total of 12 children. Her conviction led DCF to revoke her license, and the state removed all but her two adopted children from the Wimauma house.
Karen Regan feels bad for the kids involved but said Hopkins deserved to go to prison for robbing more than 300 people.
“She can sit there and think about what she did to all these people."
