Need a professional mobile DJ? DJ Kato has you covered. Since 2012
30/01/2025
Y’all be safe
UCSO Detectives Shut Down Wedding Venue Fraud Scheme
In late December 2024, Union County Sheriff’s Office detectives began investigating multiple reports of fraud involving Champagne Manor, a local wedding venue, and its owner, Jason Lottmann. The investigation revealed a scheme in which Lottmann defrauded engaged couples and investors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Couples paid between $40,000 and $50,000 for full-service wedding packages, believing their payments covered the venue, catering, and other essentials. As their wedding dates approached, they received calls from vendors demanding payment for services they assumed were covered. When they contacted Lottmann, they learned he had taken their money and failed to book or pay for any services, leaving them in a financial crisis while trying to salvage their wedding days.
At the same time, Lottmann also ran an investment scheme called the “Partner Program,” soliciting large sums under the pretense of funding venue upgrades. He promised significant returns but failed to disclose that the property was already in foreclosure, making repayment impossible.
Detectives discovered Lottmann was still taking deposits from new victims and selling items purchased with stolen funds on Facebook Marketplace. To stop his scheme, detectives arranged to meet him at a local storage facility yesterday under the guise of purchasing fraudulently obtained items. Instead of making a sale, Lottmann was arrested and now faces numerous felony charges. He is currently being held at the Union County Detention Center under a $1,000,000 secured bond.
This case remains active, and additional criminal charges are likely. Anyone who may have been victimized by Lottmann or who has information related to these cases is urged to contact the UCSO Main Office at (704) 283-3789.
