Owner of North Carolina Wedding Venue Admits to Major Fraud
The proprietor of a once-popular wedding venue in North Carolina has confessed to embezzling over $1 million from couples and investors by offering “all-inclusive” packages that he never fulfilled.
Jason Rottman, 43, entered a guilty plea on July 6 for defrauding clients and investors at the now-closed Champaign Manor in Monroe. Federal prosecutors have indicated he could face a maximum of 20 years in prison.
He charged couples for comprehensive packages but failed to pay vendors, forcing couples to cover additional costs for DJs, florists, and photographers to ensure their weddings went as planned.
“We don’t mess with brides in North Carolina,” stated Russ Ferguson, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
“Weddings are once-in-a-lifetime events where individuals invest significant savings, and we will work diligently to prevent scams when organizing these special days,” he added.
According to the authorities, from October 2023 until January 2025, Rottman “orchestrated a scheme” that fraudulently acquired “more than $1 million” from clients and investors linked to Champaign Manor.
He advertised “all-inclusive wedding packages” and had clients “pre-pay vendors,” including caterers, DJs, florists, and makeup artists, leading them to believe he would handle payment directly or reimburse customers who opted for specific vendors.
“Rottman then neglected to pay these vendors, leaving customers responsible for costs they had already settled through him,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office pointed out.
He also sought investments in wedding venues, “promising ownership, assured returns, and various financial incentives” to investors while making false claims to secure funding, as noted by authorities.
Even when Champaign Manor fell into mortgage default and faced foreclosure in mid-2024, Rottman “continued to request payments from customers and investors while hiding the venue’s serious financial troubles,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Rottman was arrested in January 2025 following a sting operation conducted by the Union County Sheriff’s Office, as police announced at the time. The FBI was also involved in addressing the fraud case.
With several wedding venues abruptly shutting down last year, numerous couples lost thousands in prepayments, and Rottman allegedly did not honor any of those bookings.
“He lied to our faces. No one can reach him anymore. We’re at a loss financially and time-wise,” shared Mark Yalotsky, one of the victims, during an interview at that time.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office mentioned that the court will determine Rottman’s punishment based on the Advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, among other legal factors. A sentencing date is yet to be established.
