Two Charged in Theft of 900 Tickets for Taylor Swift’s Tour

QUEENS, New York — Two individuals have been arrested and charged in connection with the theft of over 900 concert tickets, primarily for Taylor Swift‘s highly sought-after Eras Tour. The defendants, Tyrone Rose, 20, from Kingston, Jamaica, and Shamara P. Simmons, 31, from Jamaica, Queens, were apprehended for allegedly profiting over $600,000 from the fraudulent ticket resale.

District Attorney Melinda Katz announced the arrests on Monday, detailing how the suspects exploited a security loophole within the ticket-selling platform StubHub. Between June 2022 and July 2023, authorities allege that Rose, working as a contractor for StubHub, intercepted ticket URLs meant for legitimate purchasers and redirected them to Simmons and other accomplices.

“These defendants tried to use the popularity of Taylor Swift’s concert tour and other high-profile events to profit at the expense of others,” Katz stated. “They allegedly exploited a loophole to steal tickets to the biggest concert tour of the last decade.” The defendants are charged with grand larceny, computer tampering, and having conspired to commit these acts.

During their operation, the duo was able to substitute nearly 993 tickets from a total of 350 orders, reselling them through StubHub for substantial profits. This criminal scheme reportedly targeted other major events such as concerts by Adele and Ed Sheeran, as well as the U.S. Open tennis championships and NBA games.

The two suspects face varying term limits if convicted, with maximum sentences ranging from three to 15 years in prison for the top count. Neither suspect is eligible for bail as per state law. Following their arraignment, both were released pending a court appearance scheduled for March 7.

StubHub’s Chief Legal Officer Mark Streams expressed concerns about the integrity of ticket sales, emphasizing that the platform ensures its users’ safety. In light of the incident, StubHub promptly alerted the Queens District Attorney’s Office as well as Jamaican law enforcement to investigate the fraudulent activities that occurred on their site. “The individuals involved exploited a system vulnerability to fraudulently resell tickets,” Streams stated.

As the case unfolds, investigators remain focused on uncovering the complete scope of the operation and identifying additional accomplices. Reports indicate at least one suspect involved in the scheme remains at large, while another has since passed away.