Follow Up: March Bridal Show Scam

Here is an update on the bridal show scam that we discussed here on the blog March 5th. To view our original post, click here.

Alleged mastermind of wedding-fraud scheme arrested

July 27, 2010

By Jonathan Saltzman, Globe Staff

Federal authorities say they have arrested the mastermind of a scheme that defrauded hundreds of wedding-industry vendors who registered for a heavily advertised bridal show at the Hynes Convention Center in March but turned out to be a sham.

Karen Tucker, 47, of Pittsburgh, was arrested today in the Pennsylvania city and charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft, according to the office of US Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz in Boston. She allegedly also staged similar schemes in at least five other states.

In the Hynes episode, Tucker and an uncharged co-conspirator pretended to be a company called The Boston 411 that heavily promoted a bridal show that was supposed to take place on the weekend of March 5, according to prosecutors. Tucker and her co-conspirator claimed in advertisements that thousands of would-be brides and grooms planned to attend the show, which was a lie.

Based on those promotions, about 100 to 200 wedding-industry vendors paid $350 to $4,000 each to operate booths at the show, Boston Police Detective Steven Blair said in March.

Federal authorities said the conspirators used the money to pay for their own expenses. The affidavit also alleges that Tucker was involved in similar scams, with varying degrees of success, in Miami, Las Vegas, Baltimore, Dallas, and Columbus, Ohio.

"This alleged scheme targeted the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority and cost many small businesses thousands of dollars,'' Ortiz said in a statement." Thanks to the tremendous cooperation between the FBI and the Boston Police Department, we were able to unravel a scheme that had a large impact, with victims that spanned across the country.''

Tucker is to make her first appearance in US District Court in Pittsburgh this afternoon and is expected to be extradited to Boston later, said Christina DiIorio-Sterling, a spokeswoman for Ortiz.

If convicted of the charges, Tucker faces up to 22 years in prison, prosecutors said.

Bill & Joy's White Mountain Celebration

Joy and Bill held their wedding at the picturesque Sunset Hill House in Sugar Hill, NH. With spectacular views and beautiful gardens, their romantic ceremony and reception were perfectly accented by the natural beauty of the venue. Guests enjoyed the incredible views of sunset over the mountains and later, as they danced the night away beneath the covered porch, a spectacular lightning storm topped off the evening. Congratulations to Joy and Bill, we wish you all the best!

The Belles (Rachael, Leslie, Kaitlynn) during setup.

Jackie & Chris: My Big Fat Greek Wedding...Wentworth Style!

Jackie and Chris held their July 10th wedding at Wentworth by the Sea Hotel in New Castle, NH. Leslie would like to personally thank Jackie and Chris for allowing her to not only design their wedding, but to be a part of their extended family throughout the entire process. Jackie and Chris, you were an absolute pleasure to work with and so amazingly in love! We wish you all the best and lots of beautiful children! Congratulations!

Jackie's bouquet by Ambrosia Gardens.

Jackie and Chris held a very powerful and moving ceremony at St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral- Manchester, NH.

Wentworth ballroom at the start of the day.

LED lights and gel beads lit the centerpieces in an icy blue tone.

Jackie was thrilled when she first saw the reception space.

Signs adorned Jackie and Chris's seats at the reception.

Jackie was glowing as she admired the details of her reception with Leslie.

Note the custom-designed monogram by Signed, Sealed, Delivered that was projected on the dance floor.

The intricate cake by Jacques Pastries involved many layers of different shapes. Again note the custom monogram cake-topper.

Fantastic lighting set the mood throughout the celebration.

Panorama of the Wentworth ballroom by Focus Photography.

Jackie and Chris used lovely, small, corked glass bottles as escort cards, and each bottle contained a personal message from the bride and groom to their guests. Along the same theme, a lobster trap was used as a unique card box.

Thank you, Chris and Jackie, for allowing us to be a part of your special day and congratulations from all of us at The Wedding Belle!

Lauren & Nate's Barn Wedding- Nottingham, NH

Check out these wonderful images of Nate and Lauren's elegant June 26th barn wedding. Photography by Geneve Hoffman.

Congratulations to Lauren and Nate, and thank you for inviting us to be a part of your big day! See more photos from Nate and Lauren's wedding on Geneve Hoffman's blog.

Leslie & John- Private Residence- Rye, NH

This past weekend was the intimate and charming wedding day of John and Leslie in Rye, NH. They decided to keep things casual yet elegant, opting to hold a small ceremony and lobster clambake reception in the backyard of a family member's home. Here are some behind-the-scenes photos from the setup of their event:

Thank you to Ambrosia Gardens for the beautiful centerpieces and ceremony lei, and to Beach Pea Baking Co. for the adorable mini-cakes. Congratulations Leslie and John! We wish you all the best!