11 indicted over alleged NT$43.54 million ticket scalping scheme

Taipei, Feb. 20 (CNA) The Taipei District Prosecutors Office on Thursday indicted 11 individuals accused of netting NT$43.54 million (US$1.33 million) via a sophisticated ticket scalping operation.

According to the indictment, a husband-and-wife team -- a man, surnamed Liu (劉), and a woman surnamed Chang -- began reselling tickets for popular concerts and sports events at inflated prices in 2016.

Liu and Chang's operation grew over time to include an online group promoting the reselling service with more than 50,000 followers, as well as a comprehensive network of accomplices, prosecutors said.

To meet ever-increasing demand, Liu and Chang recruited people for a variety of tasks, including registering for online ticketing systems using false identities and using computer programs to circumvent purchase limits, according to prosecutors.

The group also included social media managers, customer service agents and ticket collectors, prosecutors said.

According to the indictment, Liu managed the group's overall operations while Chang was in charge of its finances.

Liu and Chang paid engineers who circumvented purchase limits by using computer programs to register hundreds of fake accounts simultaneously NT$500 to NT$1,500 per ticket, the indictment said.

Prosecutors said that the group illegally obtained 13,244 tickets for more than 22 events, with Liu continuing to flout regulations even after penalties for scalping were severely stiffened by amendments to the Development of the Cultural and Creative Industries Act in 2023.

According to the prosecutors, the 11 individuals were charged with multiple offenses, including document forgery and providing fraudulent information via computer or other equipment when purchasing tickets to artistic or cultural events, or sports events.

Prosecutors are seeking sentences of no less than seven years for Liu and Chang and the confiscation of the 11 indicted individuals' alleged criminal proceeds.