Concert Ticket Scam Prosecutions
1. United States v. Steven E. Harris (2016)
Jurisdiction: Federal Court, California
Facts: Harris sold thousands of counterfeit tickets for major concerts via online marketplaces, taking payment but delivering fake or invalid tickets.
Legal Issue: Wire fraud, mail fraud, and interstate commerce violations.
Outcome: Harris was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison and ordered to pay restitution exceeding $1.2 million.
Significance: Demonstrated federal enforcement against large-scale counterfeit ticket operations.
2. United States v. Kevin Christopher Johnson (2018)
Jurisdiction: Federal Court, New York
Facts: Johnson operated a website claiming to sell VIP concert tickets but never delivered them. Victims across multiple states lost tens of thousands of dollars.
Legal Issue: Wire fraud and mail fraud under 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343, 1341.
Outcome: Johnson received 6 years in federal prison and was required to repay over $750,000.
Significance: Highlighted prosecution for online ticket fraud targeting consumers nationwide.
3. United States v. Amanda Lee Brown (2017)
Jurisdiction: Federal Court, Texas
Facts: Brown resold tickets for popular music festivals without authorization, often inflating prices and using fake confirmation emails.
Legal Issue: Wire fraud, mail fraud, and violation of consumer protection statutes.
Outcome: Brown was sentenced to 3 years in prison and ordered to pay restitution exceeding $300,000.
Significance: Showed that even individual resellers can face criminal charges for ticket scams.
4. United States v. James P. Doyle (2019)
Jurisdiction: Federal Court, Florida
Facts: Doyle created multiple fraudulent websites offering tickets to sold-out concerts. He used victims’ credit card information to commit further fraud.
Legal Issue: Wire fraud, identity theft, and interstate commerce fraud.
Outcome: Doyle received 7 years in federal prison and restitution of $1.5 million.
Significance: Demonstrated that combining ticket scams with identity theft increases the severity of punishment.
5. United States v. Maria Gonzalez (2020)
Jurisdiction: Federal Court, Illinois
Facts: Gonzalez used social media to sell fake tickets for concerts and theater shows in Chicago. Victims received either invalid tickets or nothing at all.
Legal Issue: Wire fraud and mail fraud, affecting interstate commerce.
Outcome: Gonzalez was sentenced to 4 years in federal prison and ordered to pay $400,000 in restitution.
Significance: Emphasized that social media ticket scams are prosecutable at the federal level.
6. United States v. Robert T. Simmons (2015)
Jurisdiction: Federal Court, New York
Facts: Simmons ran a ticket scalping operation that sold forged tickets for arena concerts. Customers were defrauded of tens of thousands of dollars.
Legal Issue: Mail fraud, wire fraud, and counterfeiting under federal law.
Outcome: Sentenced to 6 years in federal prison and ordered to forfeit assets purchased with scam proceeds.
Significance: Showed that large-scale, organized ticket fraud is treated as a serious federal crime.
7. United States v. Daniel R. Carter (2021)
Jurisdiction: Federal Court, California
Facts: Carter sold tickets to sold-out concerts and music festivals on a third-party site but never delivered the tickets, keeping customer funds.
Legal Issue: Wire fraud and mail fraud.
Outcome: Carter sentenced to 5 years in prison and ordered restitution of $600,000.
Significance: Highlighted the continued risk of online ticket scams even during COVID-era digital sales.
Key Takeaways from Concert Ticket Scam Prosecutions:
Legal Basis: Most prosecutions rely on wire fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1343), mail fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1341), and interstate commerce regulations.
Restitution and Prison: Defendants face multi-year prison terms and are typically required to repay victims’ losses.
Online and Social Media Platforms: Many scams involve websites, marketplaces, and social media platforms.
Counterfeit vs. Non-Delivery: Both counterfeit tickets and failure to deliver purchased tickets are prosecuted.
Identity Theft and Fraud Enhancement: Using customer information for additional fraud increases sentence severity.
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