Five men jailed after large-scale Liverpool FC ticket fraud uncovered
More than 1,000 memberships were used to illegally obtain and resell match tickets
Five men have been sentenced to a combined total of 12-and-a-half years in prison after a large-scale fraud involving Liverpool Football Club tickets was uncovered.
The sentences were handed down at Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday 17th December, following a long-running investigation by Merseyside Police.
The case centred on tickets for Liverpool FC matches which were dishonestly obtained and resold through unauthorised secondary websites at inflated prices.
Who was sentenced
Joseph Johnson, a 42-year-old from Chelford Road in Eccleston, St Helens, was jailed for four years and six months.
He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud by abuse of position, conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation, and conspiracy to sell tickets fraudulently.
Louis James, a 37-year-old from Lapford Crescent in Kirkby, was sentenced to two years and four months for the same offences.
Liam Rice, a 35-year-old from Mount Crescent in Kirkby, was jailed for two years and 10 months for conspiracy to sell tickets fraudulently.
Lee Smith, a 38-year-old from Moss Lane in Bickerstaff, Ormskirk, received a sentence of two years and 10 months for conspiracy to commit fraud by abuse of position and conspiracy to sell tickets fraudulently.
James Johnson, a 34-year-old from Westcombe Road in Anfield, was given a 21-month suspended sentence after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud by abuse of position and conspiracy to sell tickets fraudulently.
How the fraud worked
Investigators found the group created and used more than 1,000 club memberships using false or misleading details to obtain large numbers of tickets.
These tickets were then resold at inflated prices through secondary websites which were not authorised by the club.
The operation initially focused on Liverpool FC matches but later expanded to include games involving other Premier League clubs.
Joseph Johnson, Louis James and Liam Rice were identified as being at the head of the operation.
Police said the group later set up a website called Seatfinder UK, registered in 2018, and established an office at St Helens College’s Kirkby campus.
Investigation and police response
The fraud was discovered in February 2018 after a system upgrade at Liverpool FC highlighted suspicious patterns, prompting the club to alert police.
Louis James was dismissed by the club following his arrest, while James Johnson had previously left his role at Liverpool FC in 2017.
Detective Chief Inspector Lynsay Armbruster said: “This was a complex and long-running investigation and it is pleasing to see today’s outcome, and the lasting change it will bring about for fans.”
She said: “The criminal group had expanded their operations to other clubs and gone from a primitive bedroom enterprise to a more sophisticated international business.”
Police revealed that almost £750,000 was paid into Joseph Johnson’s PayPal account alone, with further work now underway to recover assets.
Warnings to fans
Liverpool FC said it operates a zero-tolerance approach to ticket misuse and warned supporters not to buy tickets from unofficial sellers.
Senior District Crown Prosecutor Jonathan Egan said the defendants worked together to make “huge profits by reselling them at vastly inflated prices”.
Merseyside Police said anyone who suspects fraud is encouraged to report it so investigations can take place.