A Souderton travel agency operator was back in a Montgomery County courtroom Thursday as people from across the country accused the business of taking tens of thousands of dollars for plane tickets and visa help that never came through. Reporting identifies the agency under names including Xuat Canh My and says it marketed discounted travel to members of the Vietnamese community, who later say the promised tickets never showed up. One operator waived a preliminary hearing and entered a not-guilty plea, while authorities say the criminal investigation is still active.
Court update: defendant pleads not guilty
William Nguyen, identified by authorities as one of the people behind the Souderton operation, waived his preliminary hearing this week and pleaded not guilty to charges including theft by deception and deceptive business practices, according to 6abc. Prosecutors allege he took more than $50,000 from at least a dozen customers, and Montgomery County officials told the station that the case is far from closed. “By waiving today, that goes to show that there was enough evidence for this case to move forward,” Assistant District Attorney Christian Taffe told reporters in court.
Victims came from several states
Alleged victims traveled from Tennessee, Oklahoma, New Jersey, Florida and Michigan to attend the hearing and see the defendants in person. One couple told reporters they paid $17,605 to the agency for round-trip flights and visa assistance and ultimately received only $2,000 back, as reported by NguoiViet Dallas. Souderton police opened an investigation in February 2024 and have asked anyone who thinks they were affected to contact the department.
How the agency is said to have operated
According to court documents and media reports, the agency advertised on Facebook and leaned on word-of-mouth within Vietnamese communities to gain trust before collecting money for tickets and travel documents that allegedly never materialized. The criminal complaint states that Hien T. Nguyen communicated with customers, while payments were at times routed to William Nguyen through personal checks and Zelle, 6abc reported. Hien T. Nguyen has not been charged in the criminal case.
Where to report and how to avoid similar scams
NguoiViet Dallas reports that community groups have begun organizing to share information and support people who say they were victimized. Souderton police say they can arrange language assistance for non-English speakers and ask anyone with concerns to call 215-723-6500 to report possible fraud. For broader tips on steering clear of travel-related scams, the Federal Trade Commission outlines common warning signs and directs people to report suspected fraud at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Legal note
The charges in this case are criminal allegations. If prosecutors ultimately prove them in court, the outcome could include restitution orders and other penalties under Pennsylvania law. Montgomery County prosecutors and local police say their investigation remains ongoing and are asking anyone with information or documentation to come forward.
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