FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA — A federal grand jury in Florence returned a five-count indictment against Troy Benjamin Bittner, 53, of Myrtle Beach, for defrauding a local resort out of nearly $1 million during the pandemic.

The indictment alleges that Bittner, in his role as manager for Carolina Pines RV Resort, used his access to the company’s credit card reservation system to commit wire fraud. Specifically, although certain guests stayed at Carolina Pines, Bittner would nonetheless use the electronic payment system to initiate a refund as if those guests had cancelled their reservations. According to the indictment, during the Coronavirus pandemic it was not uncommon for guests to cancel reservations. However, rather than direct the refunds to the credit cards on file, Bittner instead issued the refunds to his own various personal credit cards. Over the 26-month window of Bittner’s alleged scheme, he received more than $800,000 in fraudulent refunds at the expense of Carolina Pines.

Bittner faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison, in addition to forfeiture and restitution.

The case is being investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek A. Shoemake is prosecuting the case. 

U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

###