British Man Charged in Disneyland Paris Mock Wedding Involving Child

A British citizen faces charges connected to the orchestration of a staged wedding featuring a nine-year-old Ukrainian girl at Disneyland Paris. This unsettling event has led to an ongoing investigation and raised serious questions about exploitation and deception within the popular theme park.

Details of the Arrest

French prosecutors have indicated that the 39-year-old British suspect is a convicted sex offender. He is also currently wanted by authorities in the UK. The individual was apprehended at the amusement park on a Saturday morning. A “guest,” who claimed to have been hired to play the role of the bride’s father, alerted the police.

Jean-Baptiste Bladier, the Meaux prosecutor, stated that the man had been paid €12,000 for his role. The man claimed he only realized the “bride” was a child at the last minute.

The Ukrainian girl, who arrived in France just two days prior, was not subjected to physical or sexual violence. Further, she was not “forced to play the role” of bride, according to the statement.

“When I saw [a] child – it was horrific.”

—A woman who says she was hired to play the role of a guest

Approximately 100 French extras were hired to partake in the phony ceremony, which was slated to be filmed privately. The British man had reportedly reserved Disneyland Paris for several hours to facilitate the event, in which he was to portray the groom. Preliminary findings also revealed that the man had allegedly undergone professional makeup to alter his appearance.

Arrests and Legal Proceedings

Three additional individuals were also arrested: the girl’s 41-year-old mother, a 24-year-old Latvian woman who was to be the bride’s sister, and a 55-year-old Latvian man. By Tuesday, only the British man remained in police custody.

On June 23, the British man and the Latvian woman appeared before a judge in Meaux. The man was charged with fraud, breach of trust, money laundering, and identity theft, and subsequently placed in pretrial detention. The Latvian woman is considered a witness in the ongoing investigation.

The prosecutor’s statement also mentioned that Disneyland Paris had been “deceived” and that the organizer used a fake Latvian ID to rent the venue. This is possible as Disneyland Paris can be rented outside regular operating hours.

BFMTV reported the “mock wedding” might have cost the organizer more than €130,000 (£110,000). According to Mr. Bladier, the British man “was reportedly convicted in the past, including for offences of a sexual nature against minors.”

He added: “He is, as such, listed in the British database of sexual offenders and is currently wanted nationally by the judicial authorities of his country of origin due to a breach of the requirements deriving from said order.”

The motive behind the staged event remains unclear as the investigation continues. Child exploitation cases are a significant issue, with thousands of children globally being victims each year (UN, 2024).

Ongoing Investigation

The investigation is ongoing, with authorities striving to unveil the true intentions behind the alleged “stunt.” Further details and potential charges are expected as the inquiry proceeds.