Cook Islands wedding 'scammer' is son of country's top cop

Tuesday, 5 March 2019

Charls Ingaua and Remi Wearing who own Paradise Wedding Desires are being investigated by Cook Islands Police.

One of the men accused of defrauding Kiwi couples by failing to organise basic services for their weddings in Rarotonga is the son of one of the Cook Islands' top cops.

The couples claim they paid Paradise Wedding Desires, co-owned by Auckland-based men Remi Wearing and Charls Ingaua, thousands of dollars to organise their big days, but after arriving in Rarotonga they were told hair and makeup artists, photographers and caterers, were not available. Stuff understands the men allegedly collected more than $20,000 from cancelled weddings.

Last week, Ingaua confirmed to Stuff he owed three couples money for failed weddings and promised to refund them within 14 days but denied doing anything illegal.

Cook Islands Police has received two complaints about Ingaua and Wearing and is investigating the allegations, the force's media officer Trevor Pitt said.

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Tegan Iakimo on her wedding day, which was organised by Paradise Wedding Desires. She said it was a 'disaster'.

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Pitt confirmed Cook Islands Police Detective Inspector Areumu Ingaua is Charls Ingaua's father but said the relationship between the two men would not hinder the case.

Tegan and Jerome Iakimo booked their wedding through Auckland-based Paradise Wedding Desires, which failed to provide refunds to couples whose weddings had been cancelled or services had not turned up.

'The connection is known to the police leadership and Commissioner Maara Tetava assures the investigative efforts by police CIB will continue to be independent and free of any conflict, throughout.'

Pitt said the police had spoken to the two people who reported the allegations to them and advised the complainants to make reports to New Zealand Police.

Cook Islands Police were yet to interview Charles Ingaua or Wearing.

If complaints were made to New Zealand Police, Cook Islands Police would work with them on the case.

'The Cook Islands Police don't initiate the queries. These are part of the jurisdiction considerations. I've not had any indication things have progressed in NZ,' said Pitt.

One Kiwi bride, who was set to tie the not this weekend, but was informed in January that Paradise Wedding Desires cancelled her booking due to 'unforeseen circumstances', said she had no idea what Ingaua and Wearing had done with her $2000 deposit.

'It sounds like they've just spent it and it's a scam, they've had no intention of carrying out these weddings,' she said.

Charls Ingaua earlier told Stuff the reason it took months for them to organise the refunds was because they had to 'save up' the money. However, he promised: 'I have organised for this to be refunded into the account within the next 14 days'.

He said he and Wearing had nothing to hide, but tried to shift the blame by saying not all of the services their customers are complaining about were included the contracts.

'These couples need to take responsibility for their own actions and be careful with the language they used claiming this as a scam.'

Ingaua believed the allegations were 'sad', adding: 'What part of this are they claiming as scam or fraud? A wedding took place, couple got married.'

He confirmed they had closed the business and said that was because he was not able to fulfil the time commitment required to organise the weddings.

Ingaua said the closure was not related to the allegations.