In a stunning reversal, Gold Coast social media star Veruca Salt has declared her whirlwind Las Vegas marriage over, branding her new husband a "compulsive liar" and "scammer" barely a month after they exchanged vows.
A whirlwind romance turns sour
The influencer, whose real name is Kimberley Summer Hartley, shocked her two million followers on November 1 by announcing she had married a man she met just two weeks prior. The ceremony took place at the famed The Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, with photos showing Hartley in a bejewelled white gown. Her mother flew from Australia to attend.
At the time, Hartley defended the rapid decision, posting a video titled "grwm to marry a man I met 2 weeks ago" and expressing a "weird vibe" that told her it was the right path. She described feeling "seen" by her partner, known online as digdigiipremium.
The shocking public accusation
The fairytale unravelled publicly on Thursday when Hartley took to her Instagram Stories with a devastating update. "hi guys, I can’t say too much right now but I just want to apologise for uplifting a man that is a compulsive liar and a scammer," she wrote.
Hartley revealed the relationship had broken down and that she would be leaving Los Angeles to return home to Australia. In a remarkable act of accountability, she urged any followers who had purchased items from her ex-husband's clothing website to contact her directly, promising, "I can give that money back to you."
"Again, I’m very sorry about this. I fell for his lies," she added.
Moving forward from grief and scandal
The collapse of her marriage is the latest chapter in a period of profound personal tragedy for Hartley. Her infant son, Cash, died suddenly in his sleep at just six weeks old in early 2024. Her decision to marry came almost two years after that devastating loss, with many followers initially supportive of her pursuit of happiness.
In a subsequent post, Hartley admitted the past two and a half months had been a "whirlwind" that changed her in ways she "didn’t know possible." She expressed hope the situation "doesn’t get messy" and asked her followers for forgiveness as she focuses on moving on.
Hartley has since edited the caption on her original wedding post, which now defiantly reads, "I’m hot, so I’m keeping the pics up." It remains unclear if the Vegas ceremony was legally binding. 7NEWS.com.au has sought comment from the man known as digdigiipremium.
