A dodgy businessman whose holiday company was shut down in Britain over an Internet scam is behind a new vacation firm in Bermuda, a investigation has revealed.

Craig Bosio was a director of one of six related "holiday clubs" in Britain which the UK Government put out of business last December after they misled consumers into paying millions of dollars for vacation discounts, which never materialised.

Mr. Bosio is involved in Back to Bermuda, a company set up this year which claims to be associated with leading hotels and properties on the Island and which boasts it will offer huge discounts if customers sign up to its membership packages.

But hotels listed on the company's website say they have no connection with Back to Bermuda or they have never signed any deals with it.

Mr. Bosio, 38, an American citizen, was also banned from being a director by Britain's Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) after his company Leisuremasters Limited was wound up at the High Court in London.

The DTI said Leisuremasters and five other related companies in Britain, the Bahamas, Gibraltar, and Spain took in almost $5 million from customers over a two-year period.

Judge Mr. Registrar Jacques said: "These are thoroughly disreputable companies undertaking thoroughly disreputable practices and it is just and equitable for the companies to be wound up."

Britain's Consumer Minister Melanie Johnson said: "Many families have had their holiday dreams ruined.

"People need to beware of unscrupulous holiday clubs that promise a lifetime of impossibly cheap holidays in exotic locations. This is a lesson to unscrupulous operators that we will take legal action to close them down."

The companies asked for a "key" costing almost $10,000 which was reduced to $3,000 if unwary consumers bought a lifetime membership.has discovered Mr. Bosio was employed last year by the St. George's Club, but the St. George's Club president Sally-Ann Woolf said she called in his work permit because he ran up debts of $30,000 which he was supposed to have spent on marketing.

And Mrs. Woolf stressed Mr. Bosio has no connection with the St. George's Club.

And an Island company supplying staff says it is owed $3,500 by Back to Bermuda and has been unable to get a response from it.

Back to Bermuda was set up this year with operations in St. George's and Dockyard, and offers customers memberships of $3,500, $5,500 and $7,500.

The company's website claims Back to Bermuda has "established relationships with some of the Island's best resorts and hotels. Our members are guaranteed to enjoy the highest quality at the lowest prices available.

"Through the website and our promotional sites on the Island, we will be offering huge discounts to visitors of the Island who are prepared to book immediately."was unable to contact the company yesterday to find out which hotels it claims to have a relationship with.

The company lists Ariel Sands, Cambridge Beaches, The Reefs and Aunt Nea's Inn as properties they "recommend".

Ariel Sands and Aunt Nea's said they had spoken to the company but had not signed any deals.

The Reefs general manager Neal Stephens said: "We know nothing about this. I've contacted our marketing people in the US and they know nothing.

"We've never been contacted by anyone to say they've been booked through this. I would want to be taken off this website because we are not doing discounts. It has been put on without our permission and it has taken us by surprise."

A spokeswoman for Cambridge Beaches said: "Nothing was agreed, nothing was signed, so we have no comment."

Back to Bermuda was set up in April this year with Bermudian Joya Kezas and Stephen Taylor of Mallorca, Spain, listed as directors.

But Mr. Bosio is listed in Back to Bermuda correspondence and several people interviewed by said they dealt with Mr. Bosio through Back to Bermuda.

A former member of staff at Back to Bermuda told he sold four $5,500 membership packages ? two to people on Island and two to people overseas ? and received a ten percent commission on them.

But he says he is owed one month's rent from the company.

Referring to Mr. Bosio, he said: "I never met him but I spoke to him on the telephone. They would always call him and talk to Craig because I guess he was the boss.

"I knew Craig Bosio had a part in it because pretty much everything was run through him. If they had an idea they would bounce it off him."

Chamber of Commerce executive vice-president Diane Gordon said: "We've had a number of our members who have contacted our offices asking about Back to Bermuda.

"They're asking are they a branch of the St. George's Club ? which they are not ? and are they connected to the Department of Tourism.

"We've not been able to receive sufficient information about them. We're as much in the dark as they are."

Mrs. Kezas did not return a call by press time yesterday. Back to Bermuda's number in Dockyard is no longer in service, and the company's St. George's office, next door to the Police station, was closed yesterday.left a message on the Bermuda answer-phone and called Mr. Bosio at his number in Grand Cayman yesterday but none of the calls were returned.