Wedding crushers: Four Hong Kong nuptials planners arrested after couples say they didn’t receive services paid for
Wedding planners who allegedly took a HK$70,000 deposit for a famous chef to cook on a couples’ big day – only to later claim cooking was not permitted at the venue – were among four people arrested by Hong Kong’s Customs and Excise Department on suspicion of committing unfair trade practices.
The arrests of two sales staff and two managers from two wedding companies were made between last Wednesday and yesterday after customers complained they had not received services they paid for, Customs announced this morning. The four suspects have been released on bail.
Hui Wai-ming, head of Customs’ unfair trade practice investigation unit, said the two companies involved are owned and managed by the same group of people, but refused to reveal their identities.
In one case, staff claimed earlier this year that a banquet would be prepared by a famous chef at the wedding venue. Upon receiving a HK$70,000 deposit for the HK$240,000 banquet, staff indicated food would be provided by a catering service as the venue did not allow cooking on site.
In another case, sales staff stated to complainants in October last year that their wedding ceremony would be held in a distinctive glass hall, shaped like a church with a spiral staircase inside.
After the complainants paid a HK$30,000 deposit for the HK$50,000 package, they were told the building was an illegal structure slated for demolition.