Wedding venue owner pleads guilty to more than $1M in wire fraud
The owner of a popular wedding in the Southeast admitted in federal court he scammed couples and investors out of more than $1 million, prosecutors said.
Jason Lottman, the former owner of Champagne Manor in Monroe, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to wire fraud for defrauding customers and investors, according to a July 6 press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of North Carolina.
Monroe is a city in Union County just over 25 miles southeast of Charlotte.
"In North Carolina, we don't mess with brides," said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. "Weddings are once-in-a-lifetime events where individuals spend significant savings, and we will be vigilant to ensure they are not defrauded while they plan their special day."
According to court documents and information from the hearing in federal court, the release says, from October 2023 through January 2025, Lottman fraudulently obtained more than $1 million from customers and investors connected to the venue.
Champagne Manor wedding scheme
Prosecutors said Lottman, 43, marketed "all-inclusive" wedding packages to customers interested in using his venue, that required couples to pay up front for vendors including caterers, photographers, florists, DJs, and hair and makeup artists.
The release goes onto say that Lottman never paid the vendors, leaving customers to pay out-of-pocket for services they had already paid for.
In mid-2024, Champagne Manor defaulted on its mortgage and foreclosure proceedings began, according to the release.
"Even though Lottman knew the venue was in severe financial distress and would ultimately cease operations, he continued to solicit payments from customers and investors, while concealing the venue's dire financial condition," the release continues.
He faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced, prosecutors said.
As of July 10, Lottman's sentencing date had not been set.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Wedding venue owner pleads guilty to more than $1M in wire fraud
Reporting by Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY / USA TODAY
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This story was originally published July 10, 2026 at 3:43 PM.