John Jefferson
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.
When the couples contacted Lottmann, they learned he had taken their money and failed to book or pay for any services, authorities said in a press release.
Lottmann is also accused of running an investment scheme called the “Partner Program,” soliciting large sums of money to fund venue upgrades.
He promised significant returns but failed to disclose that the property was already in foreclosure, making repayment impossible, officials said. Detectives discovered Lottmann was still taking deposits from new victims and selling items purchased with stolen funds on Facebook Marketplace, they added.
He was arrested on Wednesday after detectives arranged to meet with him at a storage facility under the guise of purchasing fraudulently obtained items.
Local CBS affiliate WBTV interviewed a couple who said they paid $30,000 to have their wedding at Champagne Manor but got an email from the defendant earlier this month saying the venue had gone into foreclosure and he was working on refunds.
“He wasn’t home when I read it,” the bride-to-be told the outlet. “He walked through the door like right after I read it. And I was like, ‘We’re not getting married.’ I was mostly just in shock.”
The outlet reported that previous lawsuits have been filed against Lottmann, and some couples are considering seeking legal assistance to recover their money.
The Better Business Bureau reports Champagne Manor as an unaccredited business and rates it an F — the lowest grade. The BBB website lists four complaints.
In a complaint on Jan. 2, someone wrote that the owner of Champagne Manor filed for bankruptcy, leaving 30 couples without a venue and “taking their money.”
“One of the couples we know paid $12,000 the day before he filed for bankruptcy literally STEALING their money,” the person wrote.
On Dec. 30, someone wrote about a canceled event and never heard about a refund.
“I sent several more emails to reach out and phone calls, left messages but received nothing until December 9th, saying gee sorry, its been a complicated year,” the complaint reads. “I asked the money be sent by mail. It is now December 30th and still no reply. I would like a refund please. And to file a complaint on this business.”
Another person wrote in December: “I would not in any way recommend champagne manor to even my worst enemy.”
Lottmann is being held at the Union County Detention Center with bond set at $1 million. He’s set to appear in court on Feb. 17, online booking records show.
Read the full article here