Alleged bridal dress fraud: Alison Davies fraud charges include one count in excess of $30,000
Charges against a Cairns bridal store owner who police allege defrauded 70 brides includes one count of an alleged fraud in excess of $30,000, the Cairns Magistrates Court has heard.
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Charges against a Cairns bridal store owner who police allege defrauded 70 brides includes one count of an alleged fraud in excess of $30,000, the Cairns Magistrates Court has heard.
Police allege store owner Alison Davies peddled counterfeit dresses, sold dresses dropped off for dry cleaning and created ‘Frankenstein’ dresses from parts of existing gowns.
The owner of Jonovia Bride and Design, Ms Davies, 53, was charged with 70 counts of fraud in January after a six-month investigation.
Police allege Ms Davies defrauded victims in excess of $110,000.
Her matters were mentioned in the court on Tuesday.
Detectives established Operation Victor Rickenbacker in July 2023 after police allege a Cairns woman gave her custom wedding dress to the bridal company in September 2022 for dry cleaning, before seeing it had been sold to another person on social media.
Since then police say 69 other complainants had come forward with allegations of Frankenstein and counterfeit dresses, among orders that were never made despite being paid for.
On January 2, 2024, detectives travelled to Beaudesert and arrested Ms Davies at a Cryna Rd address.
Ms Davies was represented in court by her lawyer Kelsea Read, who told the court one of the 70 charges of fraud involved more than $30,000 and was therefore a more serious and “indictable” offence.
Ms Davies’ co-accused Dominque Marianne Rolland also had her matters mentioned in court on Tuesday.
She is charged with 69 counts of fraud - dishonestly cause detriment.
Her matter was adjorned until March 1.
Ms Davies will return to court on March 19.
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Originally published as Alleged bridal dress fraud: Alison Davies fraud charges include one count in excess of $30,000
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