The Stow bride paid wedding photographer Cory Friedman $5,500 to take pictures and shoot video at her wedding.
When Friedman abruptly closed his business last April, Kayla Taylor said she thought she might have to cancel her wedding.
Taylor, though, found someone willing to take pictures for no charge at the Sept. 12 wedding. She was in Summit County Common Pleas Court on Wednesday to attend the sentencing of her would-be photographer for failing to provide the service he promised to her and 38 other customers.
“My concern is that people get back the money he’s taken,” said Taylor, 21.
Friedman, 31, of Twinsburg, pleaded guilty Wednesday to grand theft, a fourth-degree misdemeanor that carries up to 18 months in prison and a $5,000 fine. He previously pleaded guilty, but then withdrew his plea in November, pointing to a misunderstanding about the sentencing terms of his agreement with prosecutors.
Friedman, though, stuck with his guilty plea Wednesday. Judge Tom Teodosio sentenced Friedman to two years of probation, fined him $1,000 and ordered that he pay $26,732 restitution to his clients or give them the photographs or videos he took of their weddings.
Friedman was arrested in July after a lengthy investigation into Simply Elegant Weddings, a Richfield business run by Friedman that abruptly closed in April. Police said 39 clients either gave Friedman money without receiving any services or didn’t get the photos and videos that the photographer had taken.
Friedman said he owned his photo business for 13 years and got into financial trouble because of a divorce that dragged out for two years and resulted in his bank accounts being frozen. He said he knew he was going to have to close his business, but didn’t tell prospective and current customers.
“I should have been more forthcoming with my clients,” he said. “I was in fear this would cause panic and make it worse.”
Friedman said he never intended to deceive his customers and he apologized to them.
Teodosio said Friedman ruined “a lot of what should have been pleasant memories.”
Summit County Assistant Prosecutor Pete Daly said the restitution money will be deposited into Friedman’s probation account and checks will be sent to his clients for what they are owed.
Taylor said she came to court Wednesday to make sure Friedman actually pleaded guilty. She was fearful he would back out again.
She said she wasn’t sure that she wanted him to go to jail, but just wanted to see him make good with her and his other clients.
“People, including me, lost their savings,” she said.
Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at 330-996-3705 or swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow on Twitter: @swarsmithabj and on Facebook: www.facebook.com/swarsmith.