Inside Cocaine Cassie’s big white Colombian wedding
Convicted drug smuggler Cassie Sainsbury has been spotted preparing for her next white wedding with her girlfriend, Tatiana. SEE THE PHOTOS.
Behind the Scenes
Don't miss out on the headlines from Behind the Scenes. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Exclusive: It was cocaine stuffed headphones she claimed were gifts for her bridal party that landed her in a Colombian prison but five years on, Cassandra Sainsbury – best known as ‘Cocaine Cassie’ – is set for another white wedding.
However this time, she’s hoping to make it down the aisle and not into handcuffs.
Just a few days ago, on a muggy afternoon in Bogota, Colombia, Sainsbury was wandering the capital city’s up-market wedding district of Cundinamarca, ahead of her nuptials next month to 33-year-old IT technician, Tatiana.
Like any loved-up bride-to-be Sainsbury was swept up in the moment and took her time as she stopped to admire sparkling gemstone-encrusted necklaces, diamond bracelets and pearls – pausing at the gates of a traditional sandstone church to take in its magnificence.
It’s a fairytale ending for the young woman who not long ago faced more than 20-years in a Colombian prison after she was caught with 5.8kg of cocaine hidden in her luggage as she tried to leave the country in April, 2017.
Released from prison in 2020, after serving just three years of the six year sentence (Sainsbury was able to secure a plea deal) the former personal trainer has been forbidden from leaving Colombia until her sentence expires.
But in the meantime, she found love, introduced to Tatiana through mutual friends in early 2021 before announcing their engagement in November.
“She wants the full whistles and bells treatment, no expense spared on the day,” said a source close to Sainsbury, who confirmed the couple were planning an “elaborate” reception at a luxury seafront resort in northern Colombia.
“She wants the big wedding breakfast, with great views, great location, church ceremony, gorgeous pictures,” said the source.
Sainsbury, 26, is set on a “traditional, white wedding dress” and tended towards styles with revealing, fitted lace bodices and elegant longline skirts during her shopping expedition.
She has lost a remarkable 29 kgs since her initial arrest however has been amping up the exercise, yoga and watching what she eats ahead of the wedding, according to the source.
Tatiana will be donning a suit for the big day.
“It will be a big wedding, in a church, with lots of guests – especially all of Tatiana’s family and Cassie’s mum,” said the source.
Sainsbury’s mother, Lisa Evans, has supported her daughter throughout her ordeal, flying to Colombia from the family’s hometown of Adelaide during her legal proceedings.
Sainsbury initially claimed she did not know the drugs were in her luggage and that the 18 sets of headphones in her bag were gifts for her bridal party ahead of her upcoming wedding to then fiancé, Scott Broadbridge. She said she was not aware the headphones had been stuffed with cocaine.
However, Sainsbury’s story later altered to reveal she had been forced into being a drug mule by a mystery man who made threats to kill Broadbridge and her family.
More Coverage
Originally published as Inside Cocaine Cassie’s big white Colombian wedding
TV actor turned terrorist walks free from jail
An actor who was arrested and convicted as part of Australia’s largest terrorism operation is a free man after serving over 18 years.
Read more
Judge scolds AFP over ankle bracelets
A surprising argument about electronic monitoring used by the AFP to deny people bail has been lambasted in court.
Read more