As fans streamed into loanDepot Park for late-round World Baseball Classic action on Saturday, deputies say one New York visitor was running a different kind of game outside the gates.
Miami-Dade deputies arrested a 42-year-old man on accusations he sold counterfeit World Baseball Classic tickets and wristbands to fans trying to get into the stadium. The alleged scheme surfaced when security at multiple entry points flagged several tickets as fraudulent and turned would-be spectators away after their passes failed to scan, according to authorities.
According to Local 10, deputies identified the suspect as Hector Andres Giral Hernandez, 42, and took him into custody outside loanDepot Park. The ballpark’s director of security told investigators that people were attempting to enter the Venezuela–Japan game with bogus tickets, and victims later pointed deputies toward the man they said sold them, police reported.
Miami-Dade officials charged Giral Hernandez with a felony count of organized scheme to defraud. The arrest report states he remained held at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on an immigration detainer.
When deputies asked for identification, the arrest report quoted him in Spanish as saying, “I am from New York and only came to watch the game. My friend said some guy is selling tickets for $60–$70 and I don't know what happened,” according to Local 10. Deputies described the suspect as a Latin male in a black hat and a black-and-gray shirt, and the arrest form lists a permanent address in Jamaica, Queens.
Stadium Rules and Ticket Safety
loanDepot Park and World Baseball Classic organizers continue to warn fans that buying from unofficial sellers is a risky play. They urge spectators to purchase only through authorized ticketing channels and to have their tickets ready at the gate, since screenshots, photos and informal transfers can easily be forged or counterfeited.
The tournament and ballpark guide note that anyone attempting to enter with invalid tickets can face ejection, citations or even arrest. For official event information and gate policies, see MLB.
Not an Isolated Problem
Fake tickets have become a recurring headache at big South Florida events. Earlier this year, deputies arrested a man accused of selling counterfeit College Football Playoff tickets outside Hard Rock Stadium after a victim reported transferring $5,000 for seats that did not exist, as reported by NBC 6.
Law-enforcement reports describe a familiar pattern: quick, on-the-spot sales, fast money transfers and convincing but fake digital ticket images used to reel in buyers who think they have scored legitimate seats.
Legal Implications
Miami-Dade charged the suspect under Florida’s organized scheme to defraud statute, which treats such cases as “organized fraud,” with penalties that increase based on the total value obtained through the scheme. State law defines a scheme to defraud as a systematic, ongoing course of conduct and sets felony levels that rise with the aggregated losses involved.
For the statute’s definition and penalty ranges, see the Florida Statutes.
If you believe you purchased a fake ticket at this or any other event, officials advise preserving screenshots, receipts and transaction records and reporting the incident to stadium security or local law enforcement. Authorities encourage victims to come forward and to stick with official ticket portals for future purchases.
