74-year-old Indonesian paid 3 billion rupiah to marry a 24-year-old woman (4 photos)
On October 8, 2025, in Pacitan, East Java, a rather interesting couple was legally married. The young and promising 74-year-old Tarman bin Karyo Sutirto and 24-year-old Shela Arika. 
The groom publicly presented the bride's family with a hefty check for 3 billion Indonesian rupiah as a wedding dowry. The wedding was lavish, with guests receiving cash gifts. In short, it was a very expensive and opulent affair.
The age difference (50 years is no joke!) sparked controversy, but as the saying goes, love transcends all ages. Tharman, formerly famous as a samurai sword dealer, gave his bride a Toyota Camry, although it was later revealed the car was rented. 
The idyll didn't last long. The wedding photographer accused the couple of paying him with a counterfeit check. He provided evidence: the check number (CA 8680652) and the stamps matched a 2010 template used in an investment scam in 2009–2010.
Tharman denied the accusations: the check was genuine, he and his wife were on their honeymoon and had no time for the hapless photographer. He decided to seek justice and went to the police. They launched an investigation into document forgery. 
But the funny thing is, the groom had a history. In 2022, Tharman was sentenced to two years in prison for fraud in the samurai sword business: he defrauded clients of millions of rupees by promising rare blades. 
Now the couple is supposedly enjoying their honeymoon, but the photographer's check hasn't been cashed. Neither has the family's check. The public is buzzing: some see romance, others a scam. Social media is debating what attracted Shela to such a groom. His soul? His personality?
