A 39-year-old British man has been formally charged by French prosecutors following a so-called ‘mock wedding’ at Disneyland Paris, in which a nine-year-old girl is reported to have taken on the role of bride. The event, which took place at the popular entertainment resort in Marne-la-Vallée, has raised serious questions regarding the safeguarding of minors and the security protocols for private events held at major tourist destinations.
According to statements released by the prosecutor Jean-Baptiste Bladier of the Meaux Tribunal, the man is now facing multiple charges, ranging from fraud and abuse of trust to money laundering and identity theft. The alleged ‘groom’ was arrested during the weekend, after police were alerted by an individual who was reportedly hired to pretend he was the girl’s father for the ceremony.
The investigation further revealed that the man, paid €12,000 for his part, admitted he only realised the bride was a child shortly before the event began. The girl at the centre of this mock ceremony is understood to be of Ukrainian nationality. She had travelled to France with her mother, aged 41, just days before the incident occurred.
In total, four individuals were detained on Saturday in connection with the incident. These included the British man, the mother of the girl, a 24-year-old Latvian woman who was set to play the sister of the bride, and a 55-year-old Latvian man engaged to take on the role of the father. Prosecutors assert that organisers went to considerable lengths to deceive Disneyland Paris, not only by using a fabricated Latvian identity and falsified documents to secure the private event, but also by hiring approximately 100 extras and inaccurately presenting them as legitimate wedding guests.
The repercussions of these discoveries quickly attracted attention both in France and the UK. French authorities have communicated with their British counterparts to further their enquiries, confirming that the British man is a convicted sex offender. According to prosecutor Bladier, the individual in question is registered in the United Kingdom’s national database of sexual offenders and remains wanted in the UK for failing to adhere to conditions stemming from previous court orders.
A noteworthy aspect emerging from the French investigation is that the so-called ‘wedding’ was designed only as a staged performance, allegedly intended to be filmed for private use. Bladier’s statements clarified that the event was never meant to be legally binding and did not involve any genuine marital contract between the parties involved. However, many have been left disturbed by the elaborate lengths taken to stage the scenario and the involvement of a young child.
Further details from preliminary investigations suggest that the British man responsible for organising the event even had his appearance professionally altered using make-up so that his face would be unrecognisable during the ceremony. While the Latvian woman remains under investigation as a witness, authorities are continuing their questioning to piece together the full extent of the plan and any potential intent behind the spectacle.
Disneyland Paris, contacted by media outlets for comment, has yet to issue a public statement regarding the security breach or the processes by which the private event was commissioned and managed. The incident has triggered calls for increased vigilance and improved background checks for organisers wishing to make private bookings at high-profile venues that attract families and young children.
This case has not only highlighted the need for better vetting procedures but also reignited debates around the protection of minors at large entertainment venues. Authorities on both sides of the Channel are now collaborating to ensure that the matter is thoroughly investigated, and any individuals found complicit in wrongdoing are brought to account. As investigations continue, further developments are anticipated in the coming weeks, with broader implications for event security and child safeguarding standards in Europe.