Houston police are investigating a parking fraud at NRG Park. Authorities say three former parking attendants used personal card readers to divert payments from fans into their own accounts. The scheme reportedly took in over $200,000. Two of the former attendants are now wanted on felony warrants.
Court filings identify Taelor Miller, Vincent Ward and Reginald Smith as suspects in the scheme. The investigation launched after drivers noticed unfamiliar Square transactions on their statements and complained about being turned away from lots that were supposed to be reserved for pre-paid parking. The case is already raising awkward questions about how fans are supposed to know who they are really paying at big events.
What investigators allege
Harris County court records and Houston Police Department investigators report that the attendants did not use NRG Park’s approved payment system. They allegedly used personal Square readers and PayPal accounts to collect payments that were meant for the venue.
As reported by Houston Chronicle, Square data tied to the case shows Ward allegedly processed 4,021 swipes totaling $122,818.95, Miller logged 2,100 swipes worth $56,790.79 and Smith ran 1,041 swipes for $25,192.09. Prosecutors describe the activity in court filings as embezzlement and have filed felony charges against all three men.
Timeline and arrests
Investigators say the operation ran for about a year, from March 2024 through March 2025, and involved thousands of transactions, according to Click2Houston. That outlet reports Square records show a total of 7,162 swipes worth $211,007.09, and that the timestamps line up closely with the suspects’ documented work schedules.
Authorities say Reginald Smith was taken into custody in March and has cooperated with detectives. Warrants remain active for Miller and Ward, who have not yet been located. Houston police say the Major Offenders Division is still developing leads as it works to serve those warrants.
How the scam played out at the gate
One fan who drove in for a Texans game on August 28, 2024 told investigators he paid $50 at Gate 3 on Holly Hall Drive, court records state. After his card was swiped, he said, he was instructed to leave a lot that was apparently reserved for fans who had already purchased parking in advance.
A parking-lot manager later told detectives she had noticed an attendant using Square and PayPal instead of the company’s ParkHub system and reported it to security, as per Houston Chronicle. Investigators say surveillance footage and device records helped them match the alleged swipe totals to specific employees on duty.
NRG Park response and consumer tips
NRG Park’s official guidance for visitors is clear: buy parking only through approved channels, double-check posted QR codes and hang on to your digital receipts. Those instructions appear on the venue’s planning page, as detailed by NRG Park.
The site also offers maps of lots and gates, along with guest-experience contact information for anyone who has questions about where or how to pay. Using an authorized pre-purchase vendor and keeping your receipt are presented as the simplest ways to avoid getting stuck with fraudulent charges at a crowded event.
What authorities are asking
Police are urging anyone who believes they were improperly charged for NRG parking to save their receipts, screenshots or bank statements and contact HPD’s Major Offenders Division. The Better Business Bureau told reporters that asking for a receipt at the gate or paying online in advance can help confirm that the money is actually going to the official vendor, Click2Houston noted. Houston police say the investigation is ongoing as detectives continue searching for the two men still wanted on felony warrants.
Legal implications
All three men are listed in Harris County court documents as facing felony counts tied to the alleged embezzlement scheme, and judges have issued warrants for two of them. If prosecutors secure convictions, the defendants could be looking at significant penalties under Texas law, with the cases to move through the county court system in the coming months. Under the law, the men remain presumed innocent unless and until a jury or judge finds them guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
