Birmingham Bridal owner hit with more charges after allegedly ripping off brides
Nadica Ristivojevic (Photo: Oakland County Jail)
BIRMINGHAM, Mich. (FOX 2) - The owner of Birmingham Bridal is facing more charges stemming from allegations she defrauded brides out of tens of thousands of dollars.
Nadica Ristivojevic, 58, of West Bloomfield, was charged Friday with four counts of larceny by conversion. Those charges are in addition to nine counts of false pretenses, $1,000 or more but less than $20,000 she was charged with earlier this month.
Birmingham police said brides reported paying thousands of dollars to Birmingham Bridal only to not receive their dresses in time for their weddings. The shop closed suddenly in June, leaving numerous brides without their merchandise or refunds.
An investigation revealed that the business was struggling, and Ristivojevic was using funds from new orders to pay for older orders. Police said they also learned she had a gambling habit and admitted she was trying to win back enough money to pay for the dress orders.
She is accused of stealing about $50,000 from customers.
"The defendant robbed these victims of tens of thousands of dollars, but the stress, anxiety, and inconvenience she caused when she committed these crimes goes far beyond money. My office will continue pursuing justice for the numerous victims in this case," said Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald.