Kirsty Mckenzie
A POPULAR cake maker has vanished after being accused of taking deposits from ‘dozens’ of wedding clients in Spain.
The self-professed ‘Queen of amazing cakes’ Omaya Koreitem disappeared after deleting her social media accounts and failing to fulfil orders.
One client of her company Cake Couture Marbella claims to have paid €350 for a cake for his big day this summer.
Ryan Archie has taken to social media for advice after he heard nothing from Koreitem as the big day approached.
“This is leaving us without a cake on our wedding day,” said the British groom.
“I paid a 50% deposit, which was still a good chunk of money. It was a big cake.
“Now we can’t get in contact with them and have had no reply on Facebook, Instagram or by email.
“She (Koreitem) is continuing to take deposits and make false promises to couples. This is fraud and is ruining people’s special day.”
A Facebook page now set up dedicated to those affected suggests that dozens ‘at least’ have been left out of pocket.
Another person affected by the scandal, who asked to remain anonymous, first contacted Koreitem on Facebook when she paid a deposit for a client’s cake but then couldn’t get hold of Koreitem.
“No one seems to know what happened,” she said.
Another Marbella wedding planner, who wished to remain unnamed, told the Olive Press she and her clients had been left ‘devastated’ by the scam.
The 45-year-old wedding organiser first started working with Koreitem in 2012 after she came highly recommended. The British wedding planner only became suspicious when she received an automated message this year that said Koreitem had changed her number.
Two of her clients are waiting on cakes, with a total loss of €725 in deposits.
She said: ‘I asked her where she had moved to and she said Saint Martins and that I was welcome to visit anytime. I mentioned Monica was looking for her and she acted surprised but then I said that I also had cakes booked with her and she asked me to send the details as she didn’t recall.
‘Since then she has unfriended me on Facebook, taken down her page on Instagram and is not answering any messages on WhatsApp or email.’
Deception
“My clients are devastated as am I. We really don’t need this kind of deception and thieving at any point but even less so when everyone has had such a tough time.
“It makes us look bad on the coast.”
While a Twitter page and website still exist for Cake Couture, which was set up over two decades ago, the Instagram and Facebook pages for the business have been taken down.
Another wedding planner, who had commissioned the company to make several cakes, told the Olive Press that she has apparently changed her phone number to a new one in Guadeloupe in the Caribbean.
“It is such a shame as Koreitem was the go-to cake designer for very large extravagant cakes,” she said.
“I am aware of five wedding companies who have clients who booked cakes with her.
“I just don’t understand why she was taking deposits and final payments but hadn’t arranged for anyone to take over the cakes which would have been the right thing to do.
“I know many businesses are suffering particularly in the events sector but there are ways of not letting clients down. She should be letting clients know rather than ignoring calls and messages for weeks.”
The Olive Press was unable to get a comment from Cake Couture despite various attempts over the past week.
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