This browser does not support the Video element.
After years of aliases, Wedding Scammer finally charged
Authorities have arrested a man known as the "Wedding Scammer" on felony theft charges, alleging he defrauded more than a dozen couples out of over $200,000 in a wedding venue scheme.
The infamous Willis "Wedding Scammer" has been arrested in Travis County for a string of alleged scams at a Montgomery County wedding venue, according to officials.
Houston-area ‘Wedding Scammer’ arrested
Montgomery County authorities say Carl John Butcho II was arrested and booked into the Travis County Jail. He is reportedly charged with Theft of Property valued between $150,000-$300,000.
Carl John Butcho II (Courtesy: Montgomery County Sheriff's Office)
Officials say Butcho had been scamming couples who planned to get married at the Charleston Lane Wedding Venue in Willis, Texas. He allegedly pretended to be the venue's owner and manager and went by the name "Lance Miller." They say Butcho victimized 12 people, with losses totaling over $213 thousand.
Butcho was reportedly arrested by Montgomery County detectives with the help of Austin police. His bond has been set at $100,000, according to officials.
The suspect is allegedly facing other fraud charges out of Travis County.
"It is a really good first step but it's just a first step," said Justin Sayles, host of "The Wedding Scammer" podcast. Sayles has been tracking Butcho's moves for five years and hosts the investigative series that accuses him of similar fraudulent behavior dating back over a decade.
"There is some frustration for some people that it took just now for this to happen," said Sayles.
‘Wedding scammer’
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: 'The Wedding Scammer': Houston bride out $54K one day before her wedding
One day before her wedding, a bride showed up to locked doors at the Montgomery County venue she paid over $50,000 for. FOX 26's Abigail Dye looked into issues other people had with the same venue.
The FOX26 Investigation
The backstory:
In May, FOX 26 broke the story of a Houston bride who lost more than $50,000 after showing up to the venue the day before her wedding to locked doors.
After the first two stories aired, the Montgomery County District Attorney confirmed that the sheriff's office launched an investigation into the matter.
FOX26 continued to report and compiled a list of victims and began tracking total losses of those affected.
Shortly after, the man in question was identified by his alias "Lance Miller" and details of the investigation were made public.
Years-long investigative podcast
FOX26 reached out to journalist Justin Sayles, the host of ‘The Wedding Scammer’ podcast, before airing the first Charleston Lane story.
Sayles had known Butcho's real name from the beginning of FOX26's investigation, because he began his several years earlier.
"For five years roughly I have been tracking down every lead," he said. "It has gone through California, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston -all over the place."
Montgomery County: Charleston Lane 'Wedding Scammer' arrested, officials say
Authorities say the suspect posed as the venue owner and manager under the name "Lance Miller." Couples told FOX 26 that they lost between $50,000 to nearly $187,000.
Through his investigation, he says many people have filed civil suits against Butcho - but this is the first time in decades that he has been criminally charged for his alleged fraudulent activity.
"You had a multi-year investigative podcast that established a pattern of behavior. You also had victims who were very resolute to do something," he said. "Rather than rolling over they really stepped up and organized and they went to you, they went to the media, went to the police, they stayed very on top of it."
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: 'Wedding Scammer' identified; total losses for Houston couples top $186,000
Looking for more victims
What you can do:
The sheriff’s office urges any potential victims to come forward by contacting detectives at (936) 538-8393. Reference case number 25A151828.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by FOX 26's Abigail Dye and previous FOX 26 reporting.