British Sex Offender Charged with Money-Laundering and Fraud Offences in France

Strategic Insights -

A 39-year-old British man accused of staging a mock wedding with a child at Disneyland Paris has been charged with money-laundering and fraud offences in France. The man, identified by the BBC as Jacky Jhaj, was found guilty of sexual activity with two 15-year-olds in 2016 and was arrested at the theme park after staff noticed that the "bride" was a nine-year-old girl. The alleged mock wedding, which included an orchestra, a giant cake, and a backdrop of a Disney castle, was organized by Jhaj, who had hired over 100 paid extras and a Latvian citizen to help with the event. The nine-year-old girl, who is Ukrainian, was not harmed, police said.

Key Takeaways:

  • Jacky Jhaj, a 39-year-old British man, has been charged with money-laundering and fraud offences in France for staging a mock wedding with a child at Disneyland Paris.
  • Jhaj was found guilty of sexual activity with two 15-year-olds in 2016 and had a prior record in the UK for sexual assault offences.
  • The alleged mock wedding cost around €130,000 (£111,000) and included over 100 paid extras and a Latvian citizen.
  • The nine-year-old Ukrainian girl was not harmed and was not forced to play the role of bride, according to the French prosecutor.
  • Jhaj had a professional makeup artist change his appearance to disguise himself as the groom, according to the French state prosecutor.
  • A 24-year-old Latvian woman, who played the role of the bride's sister, has been designated as an assisted witness in the investigation.
  • Disneyland Paris has filed a legal complaint and claimed that they were deceived by Jhaj, who presented himself as a Latvian national and used false documents to secure the contract to hire the park.

Statistics:

  • The alleged mock wedding cost around €130,000 (£111,000).
  • Over 100 paid extras were hired for the event.
  • The 9-year-old Ukrainian girl was not harmed.
  • Jacky Jhaj has a prior record in the UK for sexual assault offences.
  • 2 15-year-old girls were involved in Jhaj's previous sexual activity conviction in 2016.
  • 1 Latvian woman played the role of the bride's sister.

Sources:

  • BBC, "British man arrested at Disneyland Paris for fake wedding"
  • The Guardian, "British man arrested in France after staging mock wedding at Disneyland Paris"
  • PA Media, "Man wanted by police in UK arrested in France for other matters"
  • French state prosecutor, Jean-Baptiste Bladier, statement
  • Metropolitan police in London, statement