NY police busted two men for allegedly selling counterfeit Super Bowl tickets.
On January 28, 2014, NY police officers arrested Damon Daniels and Eugene Fladger for allegedly selling counterfeit Super Bowl XLVIII tickets. According to authorities, the suspects also allegedly sold high-quality fake tickets for the AFC divisional round playoff game in Foxborough, MA, the NFC Wild Card game in Philadelphia, PA, the NFL Commissioner’s Party at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in Manhattan, the NFL Honors Party at Radio City Music Hall, and parking passes for Super Bowl XLVIII at MetLife Stadium. Although the tickets would have allowed the buyer to get into the venue, the seats would have been occupied by legitimate ticket holders.
Under NJ law, selling counterfeit tickets is usually governed by N.J.S.A. 2C:21-32, the New Jersey Trademark Counterfeiting Act. According to that statute, it is a crime to sell a counterfeit item with the intent to deceive or defraud another person. This is an indictable offense, which is classified as either a second, third, or fourth degree crime, depending on the number of tickets seized. In this case, it is unclear how many allegedly counterfeit tickets were seized from the suspects. Generally, a second degree crime in New Jersey is punishable by five (5) to 10 years in state prison.
How Do I Spot a Fake Super Bowl XLVIII Ticket?
The NFL recommends the following when buying Super Bowl tickets:
» Do not buy tickets from anyone selling tickets on the street or in front of the venue. Scalpers are typically unregulated and unlicensed, leaving you vulnerable to fraud.
» Always use a credit card or other secure form of payment. If ordering online, make sure the site offers a fully secure ordering process and utilizes state-of-the-art technology to protect your personal information, including your credit card number.
» Verify the location of the seats on a seating chart to avoid being misled into purchasing obstructed view seats or seats that simply do not exist.
For more information, read the NJ.com article entitled “Super Bowl 2014: 2 Charged with Selling Counterfeit Super Bowl Tickets.”
