A shocking and disturbing incident unfolded at Disneyland Paris when a man was arrested for allegedly attempting to marry a 9-year-old Ukrainian girl at the iconic theme park.
What was supposed to be a joyous event quickly turned into a nightmare, leaving staff and onlookers stunned.
The private area of Disneyland Paris, near the famous Sleeping Beauty castle, had been rented out for what was presented as a wedding ceremony. Around 300 guests, many of them hired extras, gathered for the event on Saturday, June 21.
But it soon became clear this was no ordinary wedding.
The young girl, described as “scared and confused,” was dressed in a wedding gown with 5-inch heels “taped to her feet,” according to French news outlet Le Parisien.
“Thought we were going to attend a wedding”
Assistant prosecutor Alexandre Verney described the scene as a “staged wedding,” revealing that the entire event was part of a $150,000 social media stunt.
“We all thought we were going to attend a wedding… Everyone was stunned, no one expected it,” one of the extras told Le Parisien.
“Disneyland did things very well. They canceled everything as soon as they realized the bride was a child. We were shocked to see that.”
The man behind the ceremony was identified as a 22-year-old British national.
Authorities later revealed he is registered on the UK’s sex offenders list and is wanted nationally for failing to comply with his registration requirements.
Prosecutor Jean-Baptiste Bladier shared more about the suspect, saying, “He is registered on the British sex offenders register and is currently wanted at the national level by the judicial authorities of his country of origin, for failing to comply with the obligations arising from said registration.”
Four arrests
According to Le Monde, three more individuals were arrested: a 24-year-old Latvian woman, a 41-year-old Ukrainian woman, and a 55-year-old Latvian man. Investigations, which included a medical examination of the nine-year-old Ukrainian girl, revealed that “she had not been subjected to any violence or coercive acts,” the prosecutor’s office stated.
According to Le Parisien daily, which first reported the incident, the British 22-year-old had several weeks previously hired the Disneyland Paris complex for a sum of $150,000 for several hours before it opened to the public. Staff were astonished when the nine-year-old appeared wearing high heels on Saturday morning, barely able to stand in the elaborate footwear, and they alerted the authorities, it said.
Disneyland Paris quickly alerted police, who intervened to stop the event. The park confirmed they are cooperating fully with the ongoing investigation. Authorities also arrested the girl’s mother and several others connected to the case.
The young girl had arrived in France just two days before the ceremony, and police say they do not believe she suffered any physical or sexual violence.
Officials said the event was “falsely presented” to Disneyland Paris, with the organizer misrepresenting himself as a Latvian national and using fake documents to secure the park rental. Prosecutors believe the park and the extras were unknowingly involved in the scheme.
The Meaux prosecutor’s office announced that on June 24, the man was charged with fraud, breach of trust, money laundering, and identity theft. Disneyland Paris also confirmed the payment for the event was “immediately cancelled” after “significant irregularities were identified,” according to reports.
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