Jamaican, NYC resident charged in Taylor Swift ticket resale scam
Published:Wednesday | March 5, 2025 | 5:52 PM
A cybercrime crew that included individuals “working in Kingston, Jamaica” stole nearly 1,000 concert tickets to the record-breaking Eras Tour by global superstar Taylor Swift, as well as other high-profile events on the StubHub platform, and then resold them for thousands of dollars, authorities in New York City have charged.
The individuals working in Jamaica were employed by a “third-party contractor” that partnered with StubHub—a ticket exchange and resale company—Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced on Monday.
Authorities in New York have since arrested 20-year-old Tyrone Rose from Kingston, Jamaica, and 31-year-old Shamara Simmons, a resident of Jamaica, Queens, in connection with the scheme.
They have been charged with second-degree grand larceny, first-degree and fourth-degree computer tampering, and fourth-degree conspiracy.
Rose and Simmons are scheduled to return to court on Friday.
If convicted, they each face between three and 15 years in prison.
Another individual accused of being part of the scheme remains at large.
Authorities said the majority of the stolen tickets were for Swift’s highly coveted Eras Tour, which became the highest-grossing tour of all time, generating over $2.7 billion in ticket sales last year.
The perpetrators are also accused of stealing tickets for other high-value events, including concerts by Adele and Ed Sheeran, NBA games, and the US Open tennis championships.
Prosecutors allege that the co-conspirators exploited a loophole through an offshore ticket vendor to download the stolen tickets and then resell them on StubHub at inflated prices for personal profit.
“They allegedly exploited a loophole through an offshore ticket vendor to steal tickets to the biggest concert tour of the last decade and then resold those seats for an extraordinary profit of more than US$600,000,” Katz said.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Follow The Gleaner on X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.