Man Arrested After Attempting to ‘Marry’ 9-Year-Old Girl in $150,000 Disneyland Paris Stunt

A British man has been arrested in France after allegedly staging a fake wedding ceremony with a nine-year-old Ukrainian girl at Disneyland Paris, in what authorities have called a deeply disturbing and deceptive social media stunt.

The incident occurred on Saturday, June 21, when part of the Disneyland park was privately booked for the event, reportedly costing around $150,000. The staged ceremony took place in front of the iconic Sleeping Beauty Castle and involved around 100 guests and hired extras.

The wedding caused concern when people realized the bride was a child(Getty Stock Image)

According to Alexandre Verney, assistant prosecutor for the Seine-et-Marne department, the event was a “staged wedding” that stunned park staff and onlookers when the child’s young age was discovered.

Park officials quickly contacted law enforcement after realizing the nature of the event. Authorities have since confirmed the man was arrested on-site, and Disneyland Paris is fully cooperating with the investigation.

On June 24, the Meaux prosecutor’s office announced the suspect had been charged with multiple offenses, including fraud, breach of trust, money laundering, and identity theft.

A report by the New York Post indicated the elaborate ceremony was designed for social media, with actors hired to pose as wedding guests. One attendee told Le Parisien:

“We all thought we were attending a wedding… Everyone was stunned, no one expected it. Disneyland acted quickly. They canceled everything when they realized the bride was a child. We were shocked.”

The would beg groom as well as others have been arrested(Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Further investigations revealed that the man is reportedly a convicted sex offender wanted by UK authorities for violating sex offender registry requirements. French prosecutor Jean-Baptiste Bladier confirmed that he was listed on the British sex offenders register and is currently wanted at the national level.

The girl’s mother and several other individuals involved in organizing the event were also taken into custody. Authorities stated that the child, who arrived in France just two days before the event, had not suffered any physical or sexual abuse.

According to prosecutors, false documents were used to secure the park for the event. The man reportedly impersonated a Latvian national to obtain the venue contract, deceiving Disneyland Paris staff about the true nature of the gathering.

Disneyland issued a statement saying the event payment was promptly canceled once the deception came to light. The park emphasized its commitment to guest safety and cooperation with law enforcement.

As investigations continue, the incident has sparked outrage and raised serious questions about how such an event was allowed to proceed undetected until the last moment.