Fake Wedding at Disneyland Paris Exposes Dark Side of Private Rentals

A private event booked at Disneyland Paris for what seemed to be a real wedding ceremony turned out to be a staged affair, with around 100 extras and a nine-year-old girl dressed as a bride. The event, which allegedly involved a fake marriage, was reportedly filmed and had been booked outside opening hours. The theme park's staff and security raised the alarm when they noticed the young bride, leading to the intervention of local authorities.

Key Takeaways:

• Four people were arrested and taken into police custody, including a 22-year-old British man alleged to have organized the event and a 24-year-old Latvian woman.
• The investigation revealed that the event was staged, with all guests being actors, and was part of a larger operation involving fraud and money-laundering.
• The nine-year-old girl, who is Ukrainian, was not found to have suffered any physical or emotional abuse, but her mother and another individual were released from questioning.
• Disneyland Paris said it had filed its own legal complaint and was cooperating with authorities after staff identified irregularities during the event.
• The theme park, one of the most visited in Europe, had been hired for the private event at a high price, potentially using its Sleeping Beauty Castle as a backdrop.
• Extras who were hired for the event reported being taken to the location by bus and were unaware that the wedding was staged.

Statistics:

• 4: The number of people arrested and taken into police custody.
• 100: The number of extras involved in the staged wedding event.
• 9: The age of the girl dressed as a bride.
• €: The price Disneyland Paris charges for private rentals outside opening hours.
• 22: The age of the alleged fake groom.
• 24: The age of the Latvian woman being questioned.

Sources:

• Agence France-Presse
• France Inter radio
• Le Parisien
• Local prosecutor's office in Meaux
• Disneyland Paris