Cybercriminals arrested for stealing hundreds of concert tickets through a vulnerability in StubHub.

Authorities have apprehended two individuals involved in the theft of hundreds of concert tickets, including tickets for Taylor Swift's Eras Tour. These cybercriminals, identified as Tyrone Rose and Shamara Simmons, have been charged with grand theft, computer manipulation, and conspiracy. If found guilty, they could face prison sentences ranging from 3 to 15 years.

Rose and Simmons, who will appear in court to make their statements this Friday, are said to have operated alongside several accomplices, at least one of whom has lost their life and another remains at large. According to the Queens District Attorney’s Office, this criminal group managed to obtain tickets by intercepting legitimate URLs from StubHub that were generated after legal ticket purchases. These URLs were then shared with other members of the scheme, who used them to resell the tickets on the same StubHub platform.

From June 2022 to July 2023, the group successfully resold approximately 900 tickets for concerts by artists such as Taylor Swift, Adele, and Ed Sheeran, amassing profits of around $600,000. While it has not been clarified how the scheme originated, it appears that some of those involved had job connections with Sutherland Global Services, a Kingston-based IT contractor. Following the revelations, StubHub has opted to terminate its relationship with this company.

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz emphasized that this criminal network attempted to exploit the popularity of recognized events to profit at the expense of others. According to Katz, "this dismantling highlights the diligence of my office’s Cybercrime and Cryptocurrency Unit, as well as the importance of collaborating with our industry partners to combat fraudulent activities and ensure consumer protection."