A British man, Jacky Jhaj, aged 39, has been charged with orchestrating a mock wedding involving a nine-year-old Ukrainian girl at Disneyland Paris. Jhaj, a convicted sex offender, was apprehended by authorities after an actor, hired by him to play the father of the bride, alerted the police about the bizarre event set to take place on Saturday.
Jhaj’s criminal history includes a conviction for sexual activity with two 15-year-olds in 2016, and he is currently registered as a sex offender. After being arrested, he faced the judge in Meaux, France, regarding charges that also encompass fraud, identity theft, and money laundering. Insights from the investigation reveal that Jhaj had hired around 100 French extras for the mock ceremony and purportedly altered his appearance significantly with professional makeup to conceal his identity.
This incident is particularly alarming given that Jhaj had previously staged events involving children, including a controversial fake film premiere in London where he hired children to act as fans without revealing his identity. Reports indicate that he had uploaded videos of these events to a YouTube channel that garnered millions of views, raising questions about the safety measures in place for children's content on digital platforms.
The Ukrainian girl involved in the Disneyland incident reportedly arrived in France two days prior to the event, and prosecutors asserted she had not suffered any physical harm or coercion for her role. Nonetheless, the deception utilized to secure Disneyland's venue through a forged Latvian ID has put the spotlight on both Jhaj and his questionable funding methods for his elaborate productions.
The UK’s Metropolitan Police are now coordinating with French authorities, with the notable mention that Jhaj was already wanted for breaching terms of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order. The case highlights ongoing concerns over child safety and the potential for exploitation in entertainment contexts.
