Pair Charged With Bilking Travelers to Hawaii : Crime: The Northridge couple allegedly collected money for hotel and car reservations but never forwarded payment.

A Northridge couple has been charged with stealing $32,000 from Hawaii-bound tourists by failing to provide hotel accommodations and rental cars as promised, authorities said Friday.

Prosecutors in the Los Angeles city attorney’s office said Neelma Bhatia, 31, and her husband, Harish, 36, operated a scam through now-defunct Skyline International Tours, which was based in a Mid-Wilshire office suite.

Neelma Bhatia was arrested Thursday. Her husband is serving a four-year sentence at the California Men’s Colony prison at San Luis Obispo after being convicted of bilking airlines out of more than $300,000 by ordering tickets and not paying for them, authorities said.

In the more recent operation, the two allegedly charged at least 14 vacationers for hotel accommodations and rental car payments in 1991.

The vacationers “made the trip and discovered upon their arrival that prepaid vehicle and hotel reservations had never been paid for,” City Atty. James K. Hahn said in a statement.

An arrest warrant for Neelma Bhatia was issued last month, more than a year after authorities stumbled upon the alleged scam when they went looking for her husband at his business office in September, 1991. His bail had been revoked after an unsuccessful appeal of his 1986 conviction in connection with the first travel scam, said Deputy City Atty. Ellen Pais of the city attorney’s consumer protection section.

Authorities seized business records at the office and used them to identify the victims listed in the current 22-count criminal complaint, which was filed last month, Pais said.

Prosecutors said the Bhatias promised round-trip package deals to customers in Encino, North Hills, Sylmar, Tarzana, Chatsworth and other local communities.

Neelma Bhatia was arrested at the Van Nuys Police Station on suspicion of grand theft. She was released on $10,000 bail. Her arraignment has been scheduled for Feb. 18.

Each of the two faces a maximum sentence of 22 years in jail and $15,000 in fines, Pais said.