Expedia faces trial over alleged use of confiscated Cuban properties

Expedia Group is facing a federal trial in Miami regarding allegations of “trafficking” in property confiscated by the Cuban government following the 1959 revolution. The lawsuit, brought by Cuban-American claimants, alleges that the travel agency facilitated bookings at hotels built on land originally owned by their families without obtaining permission from the rightful owners.

The current litigation involves four hotels in Cayo Coco and the San Carlos Hotel in Cienfuegos. Claimants estimate the market value of the disputed assets at approximately $82 million. This legal action follows a previous case involving Mario Echevarría, where a jury initially awarded $29.85 million to the plaintiff, though a judge later overturned that verdict.

Expedia’s legal team maintains that the company acted legally and without intentional knowledge of the properties' origins. The claims are based on Title III of the Helms-Burton Act, a 1996 law that allows U.S. citizens to sue entities for utilizing assets seized by the Cuban government without compensation.