US ‘runaway bride’ sues former fiance

AN American woman dubbed the “runaway bride” when she faked her own kidnapping days before her lavish wedding last year is suing her former fiance for $500,000 (€398,810).

Jennifer Wilbanks made headlines across the world when she took a trip to Las Vegas and New Mexico while hundreds of police and volunteers searched for her back home in suburban Atlanta, Georgia.

She and John Mason split up for good in May this year. Now she is claiming he defrauded her out of her share of their assets, including a ladder, a gold sofa and wedding presents.

Ms Wilbanks wants $250,000 (€199,400) as her share of a home she alleges Mr Mason purchased with the proceeds from $500,000 the couple received for selling their story.

On top of that she wants a further $250,000 in punitive damages for alleged abuse of the power of attorney she granted him to handle their financial affairs.

Ms Wilbanks is also seeking the return of personal property she claims he kept, including a ladder that belonged to her father. In July, Mr Mason’s attorney said his client had agreed to deliver those items.

Ms Wilbanks disappeared four days before her planned wedding day of April 30, 2005. After three days, she called Mr Mason from New Mexico, claiming to have been abducted and sexually assaulted. Later she admitted she fled because of unspecified personal issues, and pleaded no contest to telling police a false story.

She got two years’ probation and ended up mowing the lawns of public buildings as part of a community service sentence.