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Everything we know about fake Madeleine McCann from arrest to DNA and GoFundMe plea
A woman claiming to be Maddie McCann was arrested at a UK airport last night after entering the country to visit a friend. Here is everything we know about the 'fake Maddie'
A Polish woman who claims to be Madeleine McCann last night arrested as she arrived in the UK.
Police surrounded Julie Wandelt, 23, moments after her plane touched down at Bristol airport and arrested her suspicion of stalking and harassing Maddie's parents Gerry and Kate McCann.
Wandelt had reportedly flown in to meet a friend who lives in Cardiff, who was also held by cops.
Polish national Wandelt hit global headlines in 2023 after making a bombshell claim that she was Madeleine McCann, a British girl who vanished without trace aged three, while on holiday in 2007.
Also known as Julia Wendell, she made the claims in a series of posts on her Instagram profile, which has the account name '@IAmMadeleineMcCann'.
After an international media frenzy, including an appearance on US talk show Dr Phil, she later apologised and said she 'regretted' the entire ordeal in an interview with the BBC last year.
She told the she was sexually abused as a young child and said she first started believing she was Madeleine McCann after seeing resemblances between sketches of suspects and her abuser.
She set up a fundraising page that April to help her "get back on her feet" and fund a lawyer and therapy sessions.
What about evidence?
After her claims created headlines around the world, Wandelt took a DNA test in 2023 which dashed any chance of her being Maddie as she was "almost 100% Polish".
But she was back in the news this week with more claims that a fresh DNA test examined by a specialist in America linked her to Kate and Gerry.
In a flurry of posts to Instagram last week, Wandelt said her 'source' believes the genetic evidence 'strongly supports that Gerry McCann could be Julia Wandelt's biological father'.
She claimed DNA results had proven her to be 'part British and part Irish', and not 100 per cent Polish, and she also alleges experts have also matched her eyes, teeth and voice with those of missing Maddie.
Her representative Surjit Singh Clair told the Daily Mail: "I'm trying to find out what's happened but it appears Julia has been arrested. The police have reportedly arrested her on an allegation of stalking and harassing the McCanns."
Today, Leicestershire Police confirmed to the Daily Star an arrest had been made.
A force spokesman said: "Last night (Wednesday 19 February) two women were arrested at Bristol Airport as part of an ongoing investigation.
"A 23-year-old woman from Poland and a 60-year-old woman from Wales were arrested on suspicion of stalking involving serious alarm/distress.
"They both remain in custody and enquiries are continuing."
What punishment could she face?
Stalking is an either-way offence, which means it can be heard in either the Magistrates' Court or the Crown Court if charged.
If convicted, Wandelt could face up to 10 years’ in prison.
Daily Star Sunday
A woman claiming to be Maddie McCann was arrested at a UK airport last night after entering the country to visit a friend. Here is everything we know about the 'fake Maddie'
A Polish woman who claims to be Madeleine McCann last night arrested as she arrived in the UK.
Police surrounded Julie Wandelt, 23, moments after her plane touched down at Bristol airport and arrested her suspicion of stalking and harassing Maddie's parents Gerry and Kate McCann.
Wandelt had reportedly flown in to meet a friend who lives in Cardiff, who was also held by cops.
Polish national Wandelt hit global headlines in 2023 after making a bombshell claim that she was Madeleine McCann, a British girl who vanished without trace aged three, while on holiday in 2007.
Also known as Julia Wendell, she made the claims in a series of posts on her Instagram profile, which has the account name '@IAmMadeleineMcCann'.
After an international media frenzy, including an appearance on US talk show Dr Phil, she later apologised and said she 'regretted' the entire ordeal in an interview with the BBC last year.
She told the she was sexually abused as a young child and said she first started believing she was Madeleine McCann after seeing resemblances between sketches of suspects and her abuser.
She set up a fundraising page that April to help her "get back on her feet" and fund a lawyer and therapy sessions.
What about evidence?
After her claims created headlines around the world, Wandelt took a DNA test in 2023 which dashed any chance of her being Maddie as she was "almost 100% Polish".
But she was back in the news this week with more claims that a fresh DNA test examined by a specialist in America linked her to Kate and Gerry.
In a flurry of posts to Instagram last week, Wandelt said her 'source' believes the genetic evidence 'strongly supports that Gerry McCann could be Julia Wandelt's biological father'.
She claimed DNA results had proven her to be 'part British and part Irish', and not 100 per cent Polish, and she also alleges experts have also matched her eyes, teeth and voice with those of missing Maddie.
Her representative Surjit Singh Clair told the Daily Mail: "I'm trying to find out what's happened but it appears Julia has been arrested. The police have reportedly arrested her on an allegation of stalking and harassing the McCanns."
Today, Leicestershire Police confirmed to the Daily Star an arrest had been made.
A force spokesman said: "Last night (Wednesday 19 February) two women were arrested at Bristol Airport as part of an ongoing investigation.
"A 23-year-old woman from Poland and a 60-year-old woman from Wales were arrested on suspicion of stalking involving serious alarm/distress.
"They both remain in custody and enquiries are continuing."
What punishment could she face?
Stalking is an either-way offence, which means it can be heard in either the Magistrates' Court or the Crown Court if charged.
If convicted, Wandelt could face up to 10 years’ in prison.
Daily Star Sunday