Fake marriage celebrant sentenced after defrauding five couples

Publisher
Australian Federal Police
Date published
June 2024

Relevant impacts: Human impact, Government outcomes impact, Reputational impact, Industry impact.

A Melbourne man has been sentenced in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty to impersonating a Commonwealth officer and performing fake ceremonies solemnising five invalid marriages. He was handed a six-month Community Corrections Order (CCO) with a single condition of performing 50 hours’ of community work.

The man, 31, pretended to be an authorised celebrant while defrauding five couples between $700 - $1000 each for his marriage services between March 2022 and April 2023. Australian Federal Policy (AFP) officers commenced their investigation after the fifth couple reported the man, unable to locate his name on the register of authorised celebrants. The AFP arrested the man on Monday 19 February, 2024, following confirmation from the Attorney-General’s Department that he was not an authorised marriage celebrant registered under the Commonwealth.

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The Fabricator

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