Birmingham bridal store owner arraigned on 4 new charges for defrauding customers
BIRMINGHAM, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - A Birmingham bridal store owner was arraigned on four new charges in addition to the nine she was previously issued in connection to defrauding customers.
Nadica Ristivojevic, 58, of West Bloomfield, was charged with four counts of larceny by conversion on Friday, Sept. 15.
Officials say it is alleged that several customers spent thousands of dollars on custom wedding gowns, merchandise and other accessory orders from Birmingham Bridal, owned by Ristivojevic, that they never received.
Ristivojevic is accused of using the money from newer orders to pay for older orders.
Local brides, like Kiera Ellis-Hume, were waiting for their dresses, but Ristivojevic stopped answering calls and text messages.
It was a month before Ellis-Hume's wedding when she worried she may have been scammed after she didn't hear back from Ristivojevic.
When she checked the bridal store's Facebook page, she saw a comment from someone who said that the store had been shut down and there was a for rent sign on the door.
Brides were forced to rush orders from other bridal salons to have dresses before their wedding days.
Victims were defrauded of about $50,000.
"The defendant robbed these victims of tens of thousands of dollars, but the stress, anxiety, and inconvenience she caused when she committed these crimes goes far beyond money," said Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald. "My office will continue pursuing justice for the numerous victims in this case."
Earlier this month, she was arraigned on nine counts of false pretenses, $1,000 or more, but less than $20,000; one count for each victim.
She was given a $750,000 cash/surety bond and remanded to the Oakland County Jail.
On Tuesday, Sept. 19, she was arraigned on the four new charges of larceny by conversion and remains in jail.
Officials are looking for any other victims that this defendant may have defrauded.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Birmingham Police Detective Rebekah Springer at 248-530-1895.