French prosecutors on Tuesday charged a British man with crimes including money laundering and identity theft, following his alleged involvement in a disturbing event at Disneyland Paris, where he reportedly staged a fake wedding ceremony, acting as the groom to a nine-year-old Ukrainian girl.
Prosecutors stated that the 39-year-old man, whose name has not been disclosed, is a convicted sex offender and is currently wanted by authorities in the UK. He allegedly staged it for some sick social media stunt.
According to Meaux prosecutor Jean-Baptiste Bladier, the British citizen is currently wanted in the UK for failing to meet the requirements of the country’s sex offenders register.
He was taken into custody early Saturday morning after police were called to the theme park by a “guest” who said that the man had hired him to portray the bride’s father in the staged ceremony, reported BBC.
The man said he had been paid €12,000 to play the role and that he only realised at the last minute that the "bride" was a child, according to a statement by Meaux prosecutor Jean-Baptiste Bladier.
The New York Post reported that the venue had been privately booked for the event, at an estimated cost of $150,000, but Disneyland Paris staff intervened and halted the ceremony after realizing the “bride” was a 9-year old girl.
Authorities said the British man was arrested along with three others: a 24-year-old Latvian woman pretending to be the bride’s sister, the 9-year-old girl’s 41-year-old mother, and a 55-year-old Latvian man who had been brought in to take part in the ceremony.
“We all thought we were going to attend a wedding … Everyone was stunned, no one expected it,” one of the hired extras told.
The guests who were hired were reportedly told they were being paid to participate in an upscale wedding rehearsal.
The “scared and confused” little girl was spotted wearing a wedding dress and 5-inch heels “taped to her feet” when she showed up to the park, Le Parisien reported.
The statement put out by authorities also noted that the Ukrainian girl, who had arrived in France two days prior, had not been subjected to physical or sexual abuse and was not "forced to act" as the bride.
“The investigations, including the medical examination of the minor, a Ukrainian national, showed that she had not been subjected to any violence or coercive acts,” the prosecutor’s office said.
Approximately 100 French extras were brought in to participate in the staged ceremony, which was planned to be filmed privately. The British man reportedly rented Disneyland Paris for several hours to play the groom. Preliminary findings said he had allegedly been "made-up professionally so that his face appeared totally different from his own," according to the prosecutor, reported BBC.
Prosecutors stated that the 39-year-old man, whose name has not been disclosed, is a convicted sex offender and is currently wanted by authorities in the UK. He allegedly staged it for some sick social media stunt.
According to Meaux prosecutor Jean-Baptiste Bladier, the British citizen is currently wanted in the UK for failing to meet the requirements of the country’s sex offenders register.
He was taken into custody early Saturday morning after police were called to the theme park by a “guest” who said that the man had hired him to portray the bride’s father in the staged ceremony, reported BBC.
The man said he had been paid €12,000 to play the role and that he only realised at the last minute that the "bride" was a child, according to a statement by Meaux prosecutor Jean-Baptiste Bladier.
The New York Post reported that the venue had been privately booked for the event, at an estimated cost of $150,000, but Disneyland Paris staff intervened and halted the ceremony after realizing the “bride” was a 9-year old girl.
Authorities said the British man was arrested along with three others: a 24-year-old Latvian woman pretending to be the bride’s sister, the 9-year-old girl’s 41-year-old mother, and a 55-year-old Latvian man who had been brought in to take part in the ceremony.
“We all thought we were going to attend a wedding … Everyone was stunned, no one expected it,” one of the hired extras told.
The guests who were hired were reportedly told they were being paid to participate in an upscale wedding rehearsal.
The “scared and confused” little girl was spotted wearing a wedding dress and 5-inch heels “taped to her feet” when she showed up to the park, Le Parisien reported.
The statement put out by authorities also noted that the Ukrainian girl, who had arrived in France two days prior, had not been subjected to physical or sexual abuse and was not "forced to act" as the bride.
“The investigations, including the medical examination of the minor, a Ukrainian national, showed that she had not been subjected to any violence or coercive acts,” the prosecutor’s office said.
Approximately 100 French extras were brought in to participate in the staged ceremony, which was planned to be filmed privately. The British man reportedly rented Disneyland Paris for several hours to play the groom. Preliminary findings said he had allegedly been "made-up professionally so that his face appeared totally different from his own," according to the prosecutor, reported BBC.
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