Promoter penalized
for camp closure

WAILUKU » The state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs has obtained a court order to force a Maui summer camp promoter to pay more than $295,000 in refunds and civil penalties.

But state consumer officials indicated collecting the money might not be easy because the promoter, Raymond L. Thomas, also known as Llew Lazarus, is believed to have left the islands and his whereabouts are unknown.

"We will do everything in our power to try and locate him and obtain compensation for the victims," department Director Mark Recktenwald said.

State consumer protection spokeswoman Christine Hirasa said some consumers were able to recover $150,000 through credit card companies crediting them for fraudulent charges allegedly made by Lazarus.

She said more than 100 campers who paid from $900 to more than $4,000 in fees were affected by the abrupt closure of Thomas' Aloha Adventure Camps in July.

Dozens were left stranded on Maui, and many were youths from the mainland whose families had paid for them to attend the camp.

The Hawaii Girl Scouts, who own the Makawao land where the camps were conducted, shut down the operation after it found Thomas was conducting business under a phony insurance certificate.

Thomas failed to refund the money to campers after his operation was closed.

The Maui Circuit Court judgment orders Thomas to pay $46,378 in refunds to consumers and $250,000 in civil penalties to the state.

The final judgment, issued March 30, also prevents Thomas and his corporate entities from operating in Hawaii.