HOUSTON — The man behind a nationwide ticket scam that included Texas A&M's 2018 matchup against Clemson has been sentenced to 24 months in federal prison, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Derrick Langford, 49, pled guilty to his charges on Aug. 24, 2023.
Langford was able to pull off the fraud scheme through stolen credit card information from across the nation, buying tickets for events like football games, concerts, and other entertainment venues across the U.S. He would later re-sell the tickets on sites like Ticket Liquidator.
In the case of the Sept. 8, 2018 game at Kyle Field featuring Texas A&M and Clemson, Langford created false buyer accounts and used the stolen credit cards to buy tickets to the game, all while reselling them to unsuspecting buyers.
The university soon discovered what was happening, and voided the tickets for the game. However, some buyers who were unaware of the scheme that Langford was running had already purchased tickets, resulting in Texas A&M fully losing profits on what was sold.
In total, over 75 people had their credit card and personal information stolen by Langford.
"For years, Langford engaged in a multi-level fraud," said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. "In doing so, he victimized identity theft victims, unsuspecting internet buyers and, ultimately, the venues, from football stadiums to music arenas, who bore the monetary loss. But the perceived anonymity of the internet did not protect him. His scheme unraveled thanks to the efforts of the 12th Man Foundation at Texas A&M University."
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Langford has been allowed to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility in the future. Where he will serve his time has not yet been determined.
Following his 24-month sentence in federal prison, Derrick Langford will have to complete one year of supervised release.
The case was investigated with the help of the Texas A&M University Police Department and FBI.
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