Makeup artist accused of scamming brides comes home to Wis.



MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- The Queen of Diamonds is back in town.



The Wisconsin Better Business Bureau has been warning brides all over the country about a woman named Jessica Vlasseman and her company, My Queen of Diamonds.

Vlasseman is suspected of scamming brides by agreeing to do their hair and makeup on their wedding day – and then never showing up. Hundreds of brides say they paid for her services in advance, but were left at the altar.

FOX6 Investigators broke the story here in July. Jessica, an Oconomowoc native, was living in Austin, Texas until recently when she moved back to Wisconsin to live with her mother.

The BBB says it has received complaints from brides all over the country. Vlasseman is suspected of stealing at least $7,500 from brides – and that’s just from brides who have formally complained.

After FOX6's story aired in July, dozens of people reached out, saying they had been conned, too.

Suddenly, Vlasseman’s Facebook account disappeared – but the Queen of Diamonds website stayed active.

Wauwatosa resident Karen McGill, set to marry later this month, booked a hair and makeup trial with the company. She saw FOX's story, but says she was still hopeful Vlasseman would show up.

She didn’t, even after we left her multiple voicemails.

McGill booked a new makeup artist for her wedding, but wasn’t able to get her money back from PayPal.

“I am worried that people are going to see her and her information and still try and book her. She could probably still take your money because everything is online,” McGill says.

Shortly after we interviewed McGill, the website www.myqueenofdiamonds.com went offline.

But then we got a call.

An aspiring musician from Austin, Texas named Adam Carmichael says he hired Vlasseman to be his agent. The two were close friends in Texas and he and a friend paid her $10,000. She even starred in his new music video.

Once he realized she wasn’t actually working for him, he contacted police, who said they couldn’t do much until she failed to perform -- or indicated that she wouldn’t pay them back.

The BBB has given her company an F rating and it has been warning brides.

But legally, it seems as if The Queen of Diamonds has slipped through the cracks once again.

Nobody is prosecuting her - even though the fraudulent website may have violated her parole - and many brides say they cannot afford to sue.

Carmichael still hasn’t gotten his money back.

When FOX6 News heard she was back in town, we wanted to get her side of the story, especially since she wasn’t returning our calls.

But when we confronted her in Oconomowoc, she ran from our cameras, referring us to her attorney.

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