A young woman from Melbourne, Australia, became the unsuspecting victim of a shocking marriage scam orchestrated by a social media influencer. In September 2023, she met the man through a dating app, marking the beginning of a whirlwind romance. Their first date took place at a church the next day, setting the stage for what she believed was a genuine relationship. By December 2023, after three months of dating, the man proposed, leading her to accept what she thought was a heartfelt proposal. However, this turned out to be an elaborate ruse.
The man, who had amassed 17,000 followers on Instagram, was driven by ambitions to boost his content and monetize his online presence. The woman, who was not a permanent resident of Australia, soon found herself entangled in a web of deceit. Following their wedding in Sydney in December 2023, the man requested her to add his name to her application for permanent residency. This request set off alarm bells and led to the revelation that the wedding was indeed legal.
Upon questioning the legitimacy of the ceremony, the man claimed that the initial wedding was meant to be "intimate," with plans for an "official" ceremony in their home country at a later date. Nonetheless, the woman maintained her stance that she had never seen or signed any notice of intention to marry. This document, however, bore the man's signature from November 20, 2023.
Justice Joshua Wilson presided over the case, ultimately rejecting the man's version of events and granting the annulment. The judge's notes highlighted the woman's religious beliefs and questioned her participation in a civil marriage without a church ceremony.
“Precisely why she would participate in a civil marriage and not in a church marriage ceremony went unexplored.” – Wilson
“It made no sense to me that she would.” – Wilson
The woman recounted her experience, stating that the man had manipulated her into believing that the wedding was merely a prank for his social media followers.
“We had to act to make it look real,” – The woman
“He told me that he’s organizing a prank wedding for his social media,” – The woman
“He wants to boost his content and wants to start monetizing his Instagram page.” – The woman
Her testimony painted a picture of deceit and manipulation, as she found herself caught in the influencer's scheme to enhance his digital footprint.
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