If you had to pay through the nose to see Taylor Swift on her ultra-successful Eras Tour, don’t feel bad.
According to prosecutors in New York, a “cybercrime crew” stole nearly 1,000 tickets to Swift’s shows and other concerts and re-sold them at an enormously inflated value.
USA Today reports that the alleged online thieves worked for a contractor that partnered with the ticket resale service StubHub, according to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz.
They allegedly stole ticket URLs and emailed them to two co-conspirators, reportedly taking in more than $600,000 in a year.
New York authorities have arrested two people allegedly involved in the scheme. 20-year-old Tyrone Rose of Kingston, Jamaica, and 31-year-old Shamara Simmons of Queens have been charged with second-degree grand larceny, first-degree and fourth-degree computer tampering, as well as fourth-degree conspiracy.
“According to the charges, 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 says in a statement. “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 $600,000.”
USA Today reports that StubHub has tracked down all orders impacted by the alleged scheme and replaced or refunded the tickets. StubHub has also terminated its relationship with Sutherland Global Services, the contractor where the alleged thieves worked.
Rose and Simmons could face three to 15 years in prison if convicted of the charges.
It’s no surprise that Taylor Swift’s voice works so well in a country setting — it is her home genre, after all! From the Chicks to Chris Stapleton to Tim McGraw, Swift’s country collaborations keep the genre close to her heart, no matter where else music takes her.
Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak
Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker
Taylor Swift’s luxurious childhood home is for sale for just under a million dollars, and pictures show a well-appointed residence that’s a fitting home for a future superstar. The 5-bedroom, 4-bathroom, 3,560-square-foot Georgian Colonial in suburban Reading, Pa., has been completely renovated, and it features a sweeping staircase, a formal dining room, a study with a fireplace and a formal living room with a fireplace and French doors that open onto a side porch.
There’s also a gourmet kitchen, a large master bedroom with an attached master bathroom, a bonus room, a separate laundry room and a detached garage.
Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker