Disneyland Paris Wedding Hoax Involves Child Bride; Four Arrested
Authorities investigate a disturbing ploy for social media popularity
In a shocking incident at Disneyland Paris, staff were stunned to discover that a scheduled wedding, previously believed to be a typical ceremony, involved a 9-year-old girl as the bride. The event, initially arranged to take place in front of the iconic Sleeping Beauty Castle, has now come under criminal investigation, leading to the arrests of four individuals.
Disturbing Discovery
The extravagant ceremony, planned for early Saturday morning, drew around 300 guests and included a string quartet. However, park employees quickly recognized the alarming age of the bride minutes before the event commenced. Reports indicate that the young girl was dressed in a wedding gown and strangely wore five-inch heels “taped to her feet.”
Upon realizing the gravity of the situation, Disneyland Paris staff immediately contacted law enforcement. A 22-year-old British man, identified as the groom, and the child’s 41-year-old mother, who had reportedly traveled from Ukraine two days prior to the event, were arrested. Two other individuals, a 24-year-old Latvian woman playing the role of the bride’s sister and a 55-year-old man impersonating her father, were also taken into custody.
A Costly Social Media Stunt?
Authorities suggest the wedding may have been a fraudulent scheme intended for social media attention, costing approximately $150,000 to orchestrate. Just days prior to the planned ceremony, an advertisement sought participants for a high-end wedding rehearsal, requesting 200 adults and 100 children aged between 5 and 15. Many of the hired extras were unaware they were part of an elaborate ruse.
One extra described their shock: "We all thought we were going to attend a wedding… everyone was stunned, no one expected it," reflecting the disbelief shared among those gathered for the tainted event.
Legal Proceedings and Future Implications
French prosecutors are currently examining the circumstances surrounding the event. Investigations have confirmed that the minor was not subjected to any violence or coercion, suggesting this was indeed a planned act. With charges of “fraud and breach of trust” filed against the faux groom and the woman posing as the bride’s sister, both are set to appear in court in Meaux this coming Monday.
Disneyland Paris has expressed its commitment to cooperating fully with the ongoing investigation, having acted swiftly to prevent the wedding from proceeding upon realizing the bride’s age.
As authorities continue to scrutinize the incident, questions remain regarding how such a bizarre and disturbing event could unfold in a family-friendly environment like Disneyland.
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Bio: Marcus is a community-based journalist passionate about reporting impactful stories that matter most to readers.