Inset: Jason Lottmann (Union County Sheriff’s Office). Background: Champagne Manor in North Carolina (WBTV).
Police shut down a North Carolina wedding venue and arrested its owner for defrauding engaged couples out of hundreds of thousands of dollars, authorities said.
Jason Lottmann, 41, faces charges of obtaining property greater than or equal to $100,000 under false pretenses, online booking records show. He’s the owner of Champagne Manor, where couples allegedly reported to investigators that they spent between $40,000 and $50,000 on full-service weddings, which were ultimately canceled after the defendant said he had filed for bankruptcy. The exact number of couples affected is unclear, but the sheriff’s office said the case is ongoing and additional charges could be added.
The case came to light in December when Union County Sheriff’s Office detectives began investigating fraud reports at the venue. As their wedding dates approached, couples received calls from vendors demanding payment for services they assumed were covered, officials said.
