Wedding scam

Tokyo

A Japanese couple posing as a prince and princess collected thousands of dollars in presents at a fake “royal wedding.” Yasuyuki Kitano and Harumi Sakamoto invited hundreds of celebrities and rich businessmen to what they called “Prince Arisugawa’s celebration banquet.” Guests at Japanese weddings traditionally bring cash as a gift, and the couple raked in more than $100,000. The couple, arrested this week for fraud, denied that Kitano was posing as a member of the Arisugawa branch of the imperial family, even though Sakamoto wore the elaborate style of kimono reserved for brides of the imperial household. “We never actually said we were royal,” Sakamoto said.