“Can that maybe be a reason why a shadchan would take money like this before redting a shidduch? Of course!”
Everything you are saying is true, but $10,000 is extreme. I was about to write that I never heard of such a thing, but..
a friend of mine told me recently that “matchmaking” is becoming popular in the secular world, and I think she told me that they charge a ton of money. I guess they can get away with it because there are so few of them doing it, and it is such an unusual profession, unlike in our circles, where anyone can make a shidduch and you don’t necessarily have to pay them (maybe just some kind of gift to be fulfill your halachic obligation).
Is that where you heard of this ProJew? Because I never in my life heard of such a thing and I have trouble believing it’s true. Even if there is someone like that, I can’t imagine there are too many.
L’maaseh, they can charge what they want and you don’t have to use their services.