Man sentenced for selling fake tickets to UGA games, Taylor Swift concerts

Matthew Neet, an Alpharetta man, was sentenced to four years in prison and three years of supervised release on May 28 for wire fraud involving fake tickets and related schemes. He pleaded guilty in January to one count after convincing dozens of fans to pay for University of Georgia football tickets against Alabama, Texas and Mississippi that were never delivered, and for selling tickets to other events such as the Masters and Taylor Swift's Eras Tour. He was arrested in New Orleans on the ticket fraud case, and prosecutors said he also offered fake timberland investments in Costa Rica.

Restitution is set at $948,104.91, reflecting losses by victims who paid for non-delivered tickets and the broader investment scams. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia, illustrating federal enforcement against fraudulent ticket sellers and misleading investment pitches in the region. Neet's sentence underscores criminal penalties for wire fraud, including imprisonment and supervised release to deter similar schemes. The action followed a January guilty plea and highlights increased scrutiny of live-event ticket markets amid counterfeit activity.