The cybercrime crew in New York has made headlines for digitally stealing over 900 event tickets from StubHub customers, with a focus on tickets for the popular Taylor Swift “Eras” tour. Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz’s office revealed on Monday that charges have been filed against 31-year-old Shamara P. Simmons of Jamaica, Queens and 20-year-old Tyrone Rose of Jamaica for grand larceny, computer tampering, and conspiracy in connection to the ticket theft. The duo, along with two other individuals, managed to make a profit of over $600,000 by reselling the stolen tickets.
Katz expressed her shock and disappointment at the defendants’ actions, stating, “These defendants attempted to capitalize on the demand for Taylor Swift’s concert tour and other high-profile events to enrich themselves at the expense of others.” The group allegedly exploited a vulnerability in an offshore ticket vendor’s system to steal tickets for one of the most significant concert tours in recent years and then profited substantially from the resale of those tickets.
According to information from Katz’s office, Rose was employed in Kingston, Jamaica, with a company subcontracted by StubHub. He, along with an accomplice who remains at large, utilized their access to StubHub’s computer system to breach a secure section of the network that housed the URLs for purchased tickets, which were originally intended for the legitimate buyers. Instead of sending the URLs to the rightful owners, Rose and the accomplice redirected the emails containing the URLs to Simmons in Queens, as well as another accomplice from Queens who has since passed away.
The stolen tickets were then downloaded, posted on StubHub, and sold for a significant profit, as per prosecutors. Attempts to reach the attorneys representing Simmons and Rose were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.
Katz urged any residents of Queens who believe they may have fallen victim to cybercrime to reach out to her office’s cybercrimes team for assistance. They can be contacted at 718-286-6673 or through email at [email protected]
The case serves as a reminder of the dangers posed by cybercriminals who exploit vulnerabilities in online systems for personal gain. As technology continues to advance, it is crucial for individuals and companies to remain vigilant and take steps to protect their sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands. The investigation into this cybercrime crew demonstrates the importance of collaboration between law enforcement agencies and technology companies to combat such illegal activities and hold perpetrators accountable for their actions.