MONROE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — The owner of a now-closed Union County wedding venue has been charged with multiple felonies after being accused of defrauding couples and investors alike.
According to the Union County Sheriff’s Office, there were multiple reports of fraud in December 2024 involving Champagne Manor, a venue in the northern part of the county, and its owner Jason Lottmann. After his arrest Tuesday, is being held on a $1 million bond.
The sheriff’s office says investigators determined that couples paid between $40,000 and $50,000 for full-service wedding packages, believing their payments covered the venue, catering and other essentials. But as their wedding dates approached, they received calls from vendors demanding payment for services they assumed were covered.
When the couples contacted Lottmann, they allegedly learned he had taken their money and failed to book or pay for any of the services. This left the clients in a reported financial crisis while trying to salvage their wedding days.
At the same time, Lottmann is alleged to have operated an investment scheme called the “Partner Program,” soliciting large sums under the pretense of funding venue upgrades. He is said to have 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 the owner at a local storage facility Tuesday 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.
This case remains active, and additional criminal charges are likely.
