Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz has announced the arraignment of two persons accused of cybercrimes involving the theft of over 900 concert tickets, including those for Taylor Swift's highly sought-after Eras Tour. The culprits allegedly took advantage of their positions at a third-party contractor for StubHub based in Kingston, Jamaica, to swipe ticket URLs and resell them, netting over $600,000 in a year-long operation. "According to the charges, these defendants tried to use the popularity of Taylor Swift’s concert tour and other high-profile events to profit at the expensive of others," Katz stated, as reported by the Queens District Attorney's Office.
Ringing up to an “extraordinary profit of more than $600,000,” Tyrone Rose, aged 20, and Shamara P. Simmons, 31, were arrested and are facing charges that include grand larceny and computer tampering, with possible sentences ranging up to 15 years. Sutherland employees, where working Rose and an accomplice that remains at large, exploited their access to StubHub’s systems to redirect URL tickets meant for legitimate buyers to their ends. These were then sold on the same platform from which they were stolen, as per the Queens District Attorney's Office.
The thefts reportedly took place over the span of June 2022 to July 2023, during which the defendants processed around 350 orders, resulting in the theft of 993 tickets. These tickets weren't just for any small-time gigs—they included passes to major events like concerts for Adele and Ed Sheeran, NBA games, and the US Open Tennis Championships. The majority, though, were for pop megastar Taylor Swift's concerts, capitalizing on the feverish demand for her performances.
The case, however, is far from closed. The Queens District Attorney's office continues to investigate the depth of the operation, seeking other potential co-conspirators. Working closely with StubHub, which initially alerted authorities to the suspicious activity, the office's Cybercrime and Cryptocurrency Unit is leading the crackdown on these fraudulent schemes. DA Katz took the opportunity to encourage victims of cybercrimes to reach out to her office for assistance.
