Authorities have arrested Tyrone Rose and Shamara P. Simmons, two New York individuals accused of orchestrating a large-scale ticket scam that exploited a security loophole to steal and resell nearly 900 digital concert tickets, including those for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. The scam generated over $600,000 in illicit profits.
According to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, the suspects took advantage of a security flaw in an offshore ticket vendor’s system. Insiders from a third-party company linked to StubHub allegedly stole ticket URLs and passed them to associates in Queens, who then resold them at inflated prices for high-demand events like concerts by Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, and Adele.
Katz stated:
“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.”
Charges & Possible Sentences
Both Rose and Simmons have been charged with:
✅ Second-degree grand larceny
✅ First-degree computer tampering
✅ Fourth-degree conspiracy
If convicted, they could face three to 15 years in prison.
StubHub’s Response
StubHub stated that they immediately reported the fraudulent activity to their third-party customer service provider, Sutherland Global Services (SGS), and collaborated with law enforcement to address the breach.
Authorities are continuing investigations to determine whether additional co-conspirators were involved in the scheme.
