Five men have been sentenced for their roles in a large-scale scam involving Liverpool Football Club match tickets, which saw affordable seats resold at vastly inflated prices.
Liverpool Crown Court heard that the group dishonestly obtained tickets for Liverpool matches and sold them through secondary ticketing websites before creating their own platform, Seatfinder UK. Prosecutors said the operation generated between £500,000 and £1 million.
Two of the men worked within Liverpool FC’s ticket office, allowing the group to manipulate the ticketing system. Cheap tickets intended for local supporters — some costing as little as £9 — were bought before public release and resold for prices reaching up to £1,000.
Louis James, 37, of Lapford Crescent, Kirkby, admitted three counts of conspiracy to commit fraud and was sentenced to two years and four months in prison. Fellow ticket office worker James Johnson, 34, admitted two counts and received a 21-month suspended sentence, along with unpaid work and an electronic curfew.
Joseph Johnson, 42, of Chelford Road, Eccleston, described in court as the “mastermind” of the scheme, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison after admitting three counts of conspiracy to commit fraud. Liam Rice, 36, and Lee Smith, 38, were each sentenced to two years and 10 months in prison.
Investigators found Seatfinder UK was registered in Dubai but operated from a rented office on a college campus in Kirkby, Merseyside. The fraud began in 2015 and later expanded using hundreds of fake club memberships created with false names and addresses, including Liverpool Prison and a city-centre hotel.
More than 1,000 fraudulent Liverpool FC membership accounts were created, with evidence suggesting similar activity involving other Premier League clubs.
Prosecutors said Liverpool FC did not suffer a financial loss. However, the court heard the real victims were genuine supporters who were denied access to affordable tickets.
Nicola Daley, prosecuting, said tickets intended to keep football accessible were diverted and resold at heavily inflated prices.
