PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos Islands — The love story between Hollywood actress LisaRaye McCoy and Turks and Caicos Islands Premier Michael Misick starred a beautiful bride in a gown that sported hand-sewn Swarovski crystals and a 30-foot train.
The wedding altar at the luxury resort was covered in orchids, and her diamond engagement ring was the size of an ice cube. Their life together was set in a beachfront villa and cast by the jet set.
That was so two seasons ago.
The plot turns have since featured allegations of rape, infidelity, domestic violence and corruption. Now, at least three law-enforcement agencies are investigating, while the people of this tiny island southeast of the Bahamas scratch their heads over how their government leader went from being a dashing groom to the protagonist of a messy series of scandals heating up the blogosphere and the radio dial.
''This is a reality show — just over the Internet," said political leader Lloyd Stubbs, a spokesman for the premier's Progressive National Party. "They ain't famous enough to make television.''
Michael, 42, and LisaRaye, 40, met in 2005 at an awards ceremony in Atlanta. She has said that their whirlwind courtship lasted as long as it took her to plan the lavish April 2006 wedding at an exclusive resort here.
Misick is a London-educated lawyer and scion of a powerful political family. He was named chief minister in 2003, taking over the country's top job from his brother.
But locals never took kindly to their new first lady, who starred in the CW network show All of Us. She was sassy, from the South Side of Chicago, had a penchant for rather skimpy outfits, and never did make the rounds at all the island's churches. Her role as a stripper in the movie Player's Club and bawdy photo spread in the men's urban magazine Smooth didn't help.Read the full story at miamiherald.com.