The former owner of a popular wedding venue in Monroe, North Carolina has pleaded guilty to wire fraud for defrauding customers and investors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
According to court documents, Jason Lottman orchestrated a scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $1 million from customers and investors connected to his venue Champagne Manor between October 2023 through January 2025. As part of the scheme, Lottman solicited investments in Champagne Manor by promising ownership interests, guaranteed returns, or other financial incentives while making false statements to secure the investment money.
Lottman also marketed all-inclusive wedding packages to customers interested in using his venue that required customers to pay upfront for vendors such as caterers, photographers, florists, DJs, and hair and makeup artists. Lottman pledged his venue would pay those vendors directly or reimburse customers who chose to use their own vendors. However, Lottman failed to pay those vendors, leaving customers to pay out-of-pocket for services they had already paid for through Lottman.
In mid-2024, Champagne Manor defaulted on its mortgage and foreclosure proceedings began. 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.
As part of his chicanery to induce victims to part with their money, Lottman falsely claimed Champagne Manor was acquiring a glass ballroom that would serve as collateral for certain investment programs and offered investment-style programs and promotional discounts that promised future repayments or refunds that he knew he could not fulfil. When he missed making the payments, Lottman repeatedly misrepresented the reasons for the delayed payments.
The statutory maximum penalty for the wire fraud charge is 20 years in prison. Lottman’s sentencing date has not been set.
“In North Carolina, we don’t mess with brides,” said US 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.”
Photo: Mug shot of Jason Lottman
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