'The happiest day of our lives has turned into an absolute nightmare': Videographer ghosts clients after taking $30k from 14 couples, then resurfaces on social media as a rapper

Author image for Isabella Penn
Isabella Penn
Nov 22, 2025 7:00 PM EST

Most people think the wedding video is the easy part of planning. You pay, they film, you cry later. But fourteen couples are now caught in a situation that feels like the opposite of that: months of waiting, no footage, and a story that keeps getting stranger.

Over the last two years, a videographer with great reviews and a polished portfolio allegedly collected more than $30,000 in deposits before disappearing. According to the couples, the pattern was identical. There was steady communication before the wedding, then silence after the event. When he did resurface, it was with an ever-shifting rotation of personal crises so dramatic they bordered on performance art.

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    via Anastase Maragos For Unsplash+

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.


     

  • Homelessness. Illness. Bankruptcy. Lost phones. A totaled car. A breakup. A family divorce. The stories rarely matched, but they always stalled.

    Meanwhile, the couples say his social media told a different story, flexing studio selfies, luxury cars, new “business ventures,” and, eventually, a full-blown attempt at launching a rap career.

    A handful of couples eventually received fragments of raw footage that were shaky, incomplete, and sometimes only a few seconds long. Most received nothing. And with his social media now wiped and communication cut off entirely, many fear their wedding memories may never be recovered.

    Read the full story below.

  • "Videographer steals $30k from 14 couples and runs away to become a rapper"

    UnlikelyRise8927 https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingshaming/comments/1p2g1wg/videographer_steals_30k_from_14_couples_and_runs/ - TLDR: Videographer takes $30k+ from 14 couples, ghosts everyone, gives sob stories while flexing on social media, blocks us, delivers bad raw footage for some while nothing for others, nobody gets their edited film, now he's trying to be a SoundCloud rapper and ignore all his defaulted contracts, deletes his socials once news story about him comes out So, my husband and I
    via UnlikelyRise8927
  • UnlikelyRise8927 https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingshaming/comments/1p2g1wg/videographer_steals_30k_from_14_couples_and_runs/ - Our local ABC station did a story about our group of couples who've been waiting months for their wedding videos and I wanted to share just the tip of the iceberg of the messy, infuriating backstory that they didn't include.
    via UnlikelyRise8927
  • UnlikelyRise8927 https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingshaming/comments/1p2g1wg/videographer_steals_30k_from_14_couples_and_runs/ - The happiest day of our lives has turned into an absolute nightmare filled with frustration, tears, and anger.
    via UnlikelyRise8927
  • UnlikelyRise8927 https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingshaming/comments/1p2g1wg/videographer_steals_30k_from_14_couples_and_runs/ - Collectively, he has taken around $30,000 (and counting) from everyone who trusted him. Buckle up. The playbook was essentially the same for all of us: we saw great reviews and a solid portfolio online, signed contracts, and paid deposits.
    via UnlikelyRise8927
  • UnlikelyRise8927 https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingshaming/comments/1p2g1wg/videographer_steals_30k_from_14_couples_and_runs/ - He seemed incredibly attentive, friendly, and professional-right up until the day after the wedding. That's when everything fell apart.
    via UnlikelyRise8927
  • STLE O 69 +919
    via Subtle Cinematics For Unsplash+

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.


     

  • UnlikelyRise8927 https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingshaming/comments/1p2g1wg/videographer_steals_30k_from_14_couples_and_runs/ - First came the silence. Weeks turned into months. When he did pop back up, it was always some wild sob story that entirely contradicted the one he told us prior.
    via UnlikelyRise8927
  • UnlikelyRise8927 https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingshaming/comments/1p2g1wg/videographer_steals_30k_from_14_couples_and_runs/ - Suddenly he's so broke he only has $1 to his name and needs to file bankruptcy, he's homeless, he's sick, starving, recovering from a breakup, dealing with a parental divorce, his car got totaled, he didn't have access to his phone number, you name it.
    via UnlikelyRise8927
  • UnlikelyRise8927 https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingshaming/comments/1p2g1wg/videographer_steals_30k_from_14_couples_and_runs/ - If we all got paid $5 every time he's gave us one of these insane sob stories, we'd probably have enough to recoup the money he's stolen from us.
    via UnlikelyRise8927
  • UnlikelyRise8927 https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingshaming/comments/1p2g1wg/videographer_steals_30k_from_14_couples_and_runs/ - And of course, we all felt bad for at least a little while, because who doesn't have a heart?
    via UnlikelyRise8927
  • UnlikelyRise8927 https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingshaming/comments/1p2g1wg/videographer_steals_30k_from_14_couples_and_runs/ - But then we'd see him on social media literally living a different life: showing off in fancy music studios, posing with luxury cars, flexing with friends, searching for new clients, and even uploading a video where he and his buddies were JUMPING someone in front of their studio (???).
    via UnlikelyRise8927
  • UnlikelyRise8927 https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingshaming/comments/1p2g1wg/videographer_steals_30k_from_14_couples_and_runs/ - Meanwhile, he blocked most of us on Instagram so we couldn't see his "I'm him" egotistical social media posts while he still messaged us about how "hard things have been for him lately." Some of us have still never received a single frame of footage.
    via UnlikelyRise8927
  • UnlikelyRise8927 https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingshaming/comments/1p2g1wg/videographer_steals_30k_from_14_couples_and_runs/ - Others eventually received incomplete raw footage 6 months- 1 year after their weddings, but the quality is subpar to say the least.
    via UnlikelyRise8927
  • UnlikelyRise8927 https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingshaming/comments/1p2g1wg/videographer_steals_30k_from_14_couples_and_runs/ - The lion's share of footage is a lot of 1-3 second unusable clips, the footage is shaky, some clips are missing audio entirely, he's recording his feet while parent dances are happening, and, there are actual moments where you can hear him talking over key moments by promoting his own social media to guests.
    via UnlikelyRise8927
  • UnlikelyRise8927 https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingshaming/comments/1p2g1wg/videographer_steals_30k_from_14_couples_and_runs/ - I genuinely wish I was kidding. It's now been almost 2 years for some of us.
    via UnlikelyRise8927
  • UnlikelyRise8927 https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingshaming/comments/1p2g1wg/videographer_steals_30k_from_14_couples_and_runs/ - Anniversaries have come and gone, and NONE of us have our finished videos. None. For the record, the final edited film was the main point of most of us hiring him.
    via UnlikelyRise8927
  • UnlikelyRise8927 https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingshaming/comments/1p2g1wg/videographer_steals_30k_from_14_couples_and_runs/ - As a group, we have tried literally everything to either get our footage or money back: • Following the ADR process in our contracts (he made himself unreachable) • Sending demand letters through lawyers (ignored- surprise surprise) • Contacting the state Attorney General's office (every case was closed because he wouldn't respond) Hiring multiple skip tracers to have him
    via UnlikelyRise8927
  • UnlikelyRise8927 https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingshaming/comments/1p2g1wg/videographer_steals_30k_from_14_couples_and_runs/ - Instead of providing priceless wedding footage to the countless clients he has unfulfilled contracts with? Nothing much, just trying to run away from everything he's done and rebrand by starting a new studio venture under a different name.
    via UnlikelyRise8927
  • UnlikelyRise8927 https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingshaming/comments/1p2g1wg/videographer_steals_30k_from_14_couples_and_runs/ - Also, he's trying to start a new music "career" as a rapper (lol). He even told one of the women that she wouldn't see an edited film until he made his big break in music so he had enough money to pay an editor to do it for him.
    via UnlikelyRise8927
  • UnlikelyRise8927 https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingshaming/comments/1p2g1wg/videographer_steals_30k_from_14_couples_and_runs/ - He's spent more time doing damage control for his reputation and blocking people for calling him what he is instead of working on getting all of us our footage and films.
    via UnlikelyRise8927
  • UnlikelyRise8927 https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingshaming/comments/1p2g1wg/videographer_steals_30k_from_14_couples_and_runs/ - In the last week or two, we've also found out that he's deactivated all of his social media pages and made himself even more unreachable than he already was.
    via UnlikelyRise8927
  • UnlikelyRise8927 https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingshaming/comments/1p2g1wg/videographer_steals_30k_from_14_couples_and_runs/ - Welp. I never in a million years thought I'd be posting something related to my own wedding in here, let alone be one of those people telling a horror story about a scamming wedding vendor.
    via UnlikelyRise8927
  • UnlikelyRise8927 https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingshaming/comments/1p2g1wg/videographer_steals_30k_from_14_couples_and_runs/ - It's both heartbreaking and ridiculous that such sensitive memories are being held hostage by some wannabe Soundcloud rapper who would rather chase clout than do his job.
    via UnlikelyRise8927
  • UnlikelyRise8927 https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingshaming/comments/1p2g1wg/videographer_steals_30k_from_14_couples_and_runs/ - We're all still trying to get our footage and films, so it's an ongoing situation. I will come back and update if/when more happens, but I'm not holding my breath unfortunately; especially since his very recent actions.
    via UnlikelyRise8927
  • GrungeCheap56119 Can you take him to small claims court?
    via GrungeCheap56119
  • OP UnlikelyRise8927 Some of us paid skip tracers to find him so we could do just that and he's made himself literally impossible to track.
    via UnlikelyRise8927
  • Training-Willow9591 I know its more about principle and the footage driving you, than it is about the money. I know it would be for me. I don't understand why he will not just hand over raw footage. It sucks he deleted his profile, he will pop back up, when he does, observe any locations he seems to frequent, document / save his friend's profiles, DM ALL OF THEM, reach out to the studio, club, coffee shop, etc. he's hanging out at, and say you're willing to pay them for Ronnies current contact d
    via Training-Willow9591
  • OP UnlikelyRise8927 It's absolutely about the footage for us. I would much rather have all of my raws and my edited video than money. All of his friends/rapper associates (Imao) seem to be supporting him and standing with him. Don't know if he told them what he actually did or if they're just as terrible people as he is. I'm thinking it's the second one considering these same people were gassing him up in the comments of the video of him & friends beating a dude down in the street.
    via UnlikelyRise8927
  • ryeong Was his name James Somerton? (It's an awful joke, forgive me but the tldr is that when he was run off YT for plagiarizing he did an exorbitant number of additional scams and, most recently, was caught plagiarizing as a fake wedding photographer.) I'm genuinely sorry you're going through this. It's disheartening that people have no remorse, not only for taking your money but by holding your precious memories hostage. I'm glad you have come forward and spoken about this because it might sto
    via ryeong
  • andylibrande Can you make a rap diss track to counter his SoundCloud presence?
    via andylibrande
  • FelixTaran It's not Jesse James Clark, is it? He scammed a bunch of people a while back.
    via FelixTaran
  • inko75 Not all heroes wear capes. Tho I can only visualize this guy wearing a cape all the time
    via inko75
  • Wow sonal1988
    via sonal1988
  • Robyn NeonGal Omg!
    via RobynNeonGal
  • Creepy_Push8629 I didn't get it. Why not just do the work and get the money you need anyway
    via Creepy_Push8629
  • venttress_sd The videographer for my wedding took the money and fucked off to Cambodia iirc. Apparently he fell in love and ran off to meet this woman he'd never met or spoken to. I guess he was planning it for a while because there were several other couples who had the same story. The dudes poor assistant was left to deal with the fallout. I guess everyone got catfished, and none of us got a wedding video
    via venttress_sd

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footage wedding drama client entitled people karma couples film investigation videographer scam deposit rapper contractor Video
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