Runaway groom who left lavish £7,000 Italian wedding reception with his new wife without paying breaks his silence as he insists he has now settled the bill – but disputes the venue’s fee
- Moreno Prioretti and Andrae Svenja ran off after getting married at an exclusive restaurant
- Prioretti was chased by Italian and German cops for the massive bill
- He has since agreed to pay the outstanding money back
Italy’s most wanted groom has now paid back a £7,000 bill he owed after he and his newlywed wife ran off without paying for a banquet at an exclusive seafood restaurant that served 80 of their guests.
Moreno Prioretti and Andrae Svenja did a runner after getting married last August at Ristorante La Rotonda, an exclusive seafood restaurant where they enjoyed a banquet with 80 guests.
When the owner, Enzo Fabrizi, went to collect on their bill, he found to his dismay that the couple had not only left town, but had fled the country – with their family in tow – to Germany.
But on Wednesday, he reportedly paid back the money he owed after he was hunted down by German and Italian cops.
Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported that he contacted his lawyer and claimed he was ready to pay everything back, though he disputed the exact amount he owed.
Moreno Prioretti (left) and Andrae Svenja (right) did a runner after getting married last August at the exclusive seafood restaurant Ristorante La Rotonda
After tying the knot next to the venue’s swimming pool (pictured), the couple put on a banquet at the restaurant – described as a typical Ciociaria eatery – for their 80 guests
After visiting the groom’s local home (pictured) and speaking to neighbours, owner Enzo Fabrizi discovered the couple had not been heard from since the day after the wedding
He claimed he owed 8,100 Euros, not 8,800 Euros as the restaurant owner said.
The owner reportedly said he would be willing to drop the fraud charges he filed against the couple once he has the money in his bank account.
Fabrizi previously said that he was worried that the unpaid bill could’ve led to him declaring bankruptcy.
‘For a small place like mine 8,000 Euro is a considerable amount of money and I need to have this bill settled as I have suppliers to pay and other overheads,’ he said.
‘If it’s not settled soon, it could put me out of business. I’m happy to drop the legal action as soon as I’m paid but I can’t get any response from them and have hired a lawyer.
Venue owner Enzo Fabrizi (pictured) told MailOnline he had been corresponding with the couple about them making the final payment for the wedding for several weeks
His lawyer Lugi Tozzi (right) said that a formal complaint was filed with the local police over the runaway couple
‘All I know is that he was a friend of a friend and he worked as a mechanic Iocally and his wife is German but they have lived in Italy for a few years.
‘The last I heard is that they had gone to Germany but I have no way of tracing them. Even the mobile doesn’t work anymore.’
The bride and groom, along with the groom’s parents, had visited Ristorante La Rotonda seven months before the big day, tasting the different menus on offer.
Opting for the fish, they paid a deposit of 3,300 euros and agreed to pay the final bill – which totalled 8,800 euros including the deposit – after the wedding, with a deadline set for the Wednesday after the event.
Initially, everything went according to plan at the venue in the hills near Boville Ernica. The couple happily exchanged vows in front of their friends and family in a civil ceremony, officiated by a priest who came from Germany.
The 80 guests enjoyed the fish menu and the drinks, leaving Rotonda’s restaurateur no reason to believe he would not be paid for his services.
However, Italian media reports that Prioretti did not pay the day after the wedding – as he had agreed with the owner – and when the official Wednesday deadline came around, the newlyweds were nowhere to be found.
Fabrizi previously said that he was worried that the unpaid bill could’ve led to him declaring bankruptcy
The bride and groom, along with the groom’s parents, had visited Ristorante La Rotonda seven months before the big day, tasting the different menus on offer
Pictured: Ristorante La Rotonda a Boville, in the Italian province of Frosinone
Mr Fabrizi, waited for Prioretti to show up at the venue until late in the evening, and even tried to call him – but received no answer.
He was even able to trace the groom’s parents, who had been at the tasting session earlier in the year, but had no response from them either.
After visiting the groom’s local address and speaking to neighbours, the owner discovered the couple had not been heard from since the day after the wedding.
This prompted him to contact the local police, who were able to trace the couple’s movements from the wedding.
To his dismay, the owner was told that the couple had driven to Rome and flown to Frankfurt, Germany after the party.
‘I will not give him peace until he has paid every penny. I’ve been a restaurateur for 40 years, and I’ve never had a misadventure like this happen to me,’ he said at the time.
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