In a recent cybercrime case, two individuals have been charged with orchestrating a scheme that exploited StubHub’s ticketing platform, resulting in the theft and resale of nearly 1,000 digital tickets, primarily for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. The operation allegedly generated over $600,000 in illicit profits.
According to the Queens District Attorney’s Office, the accused—Tyrone Rose, 20, from Kingston, Jamaica, and Shamara P. Simmons, 31, from Queens, New York—were involved in a cybercrime operation between June 2022 and July 2023. Rose, employed by Sutherland Global Services, a third-party contractor for StubHub, allegedly exploited his access to intercept ticket URLs intended for legitimate purchasers. These URLs were then redirected to Simmons and another accomplice in New York, who downloaded and resold the tickets on StubHub at inflated prices.
The fraudulent activities encompassed approximately 993 tickets across 350 orders. While the majority were for Taylor Swift‘s Eras Tour, tickets for other high-profile events—including concerts by Adele and Ed Sheeran, NBA games, and the U.S. Open Tennis Championships—were also targeted.
Both Rose and Simmons have been charged with grand larceny, computer tampering, conspiracy, and tampering. StubHub identified the fraudulent transactions, alerted authorities, and has since refunded or replaced all affected orders. The company has also terminated its relationship with the compromised contractor and implemented enhanced security measures to prevent future incidents.
