What was supposed to be the start of happily ever after for dozens of couples has ended in a federal courtroom. Today, the former Champagne Manor owner Jason Lottmann pleaded guilty to a federal wire fraud charge, admitting he bilked couples and investors out of more than $1 million tied to the Monroe wedding venue, according to court records. The plea is the latest turn in a saga that left engaged couples scrambling after the venue abruptly closed early last year. Lottmann now faces federal sentencing that could include prison time and court-ordered restitution.
According to court filings cited by the Charlotte Business Journal, Lottmann obtained more than $1 million from customers and investors between October 2023 and January 2025 and pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. Prosecutors laid out the details of the scheme in federal documents that underpinned Monday’s plea.
Couples Left Out Thousands
Local reporting says about 30 couples paid hefty deposits, often between $40,000 and $50,000 for all-inclusive packages, only to later learn that vendors had not been paid or that their dates were canceled when Champagne Manor went into foreclosure. The Charlotte Observer detailed the fallout from the foreclosure and a trail of unpaid vendor bills as couples suddenly found their wedding plans in limbo.
Earlier coverage, including reports that the venue owner was charged with defrauding couples and investors along with stories from local TV stations, documented how deposits and investor money were solicited as the business was unraveling.
How Authorities Caught Him
The Union County Sheriff’s Office says detectives arranged a meeting at a storage facility under the pretense of buying items Lottmann had listed for sale. They arrested him in late January 2025 after discovering he was still taking deposits and selling items bought with what investigators allege were stolen funds.
In a news release, Union County said Lottmann was held on a $1,000,000 secured bond while the investigation continued and urged any additional victims to come forward.
Legal Next Steps
Lottmann’s guilty plea sends the case to a sentencing hearing, where a federal judge will decide his punishment and set any restitution owed to victims. Wire fraud carries a maximum prison term of 20 years per count under federal law, according to 18 U.S.C. § 1343. Judges commonly order restitution in property-fraud cases under 18 U.S.C. § 3663A, which means the court will likely weigh how much of the more than $1 million can realistically be repaid.
Victims Respond, Community Offers Help
Couples whose weddings were upended have described both the emotional and financial gut punch of losing months, and in some cases years, of planning. One bride told The Charlotte Observer, “For us, it wasn’t just a venue,” capturing how the sprawling property had become intertwined with their vision of the day.
In the aftermath, local vendors and venues stepped in with discounts and alternative dates, trying to help affected couples salvage ceremonies that suddenly had no home. It will be up to the federal court to decide what consequences Lottmann faces. For many of his former customers, though, the real damage was done long before he stood before a judge and said the word “guilty.”
