I’m sure you’ve seen those memes with the white van that has a message painted on it, and the caption, “This is how somebody could kidnap me.” Mine might be “CHEAP UGA FOOTBALL TICKETS.” My friend and colleague Sarah Anderson sent me a story that riffs on that idea.
Last week, federal authorities arrested a metro Atlanta man who allegedly defrauded people with promises of tickets to University of Georgia football games and real estate investments. Matthew Neet, 43, of Alpharetta, Ga., allegedly bilked two dozen individuals out of nearly a million dollars based on the promises of UGA tickets and lucrative opportunities to invest in teak and timber properties in Costa Rica.
Side note: Sarah and I joked that the UGA and Costa Rica connections made her Neet’s ideal target. At least she would have the sense to verify before falling for his scheme.
“Prosecutors allege Neet ran a scheme promising tickets to high-profile UGA games that were never delivered,” reports Law & Crime in a Facebook post. “Nearly two dozen victims were allegedly defrauded, with investigators saying Neet collected about $943,000 and used the money for personal expenses.”
“Neet allegedly defrauded at least two dozen football fans and investors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg in a press release from the Department of Justice. “As we enter the college football playoff, fans should exercise caution when purchasing tickets for games. Unfortunately, scammers may seek to exploit the rich history and tradition of college football for quick cash. And, as always, investors should be wary of too-good-to-be-true wealth building [sic] opportunities.”
Flashback (or, The Other Side of the Coin): Someone Accidentally Sold Tickets to the Hottest College Football Game of the Season for $5 Apiece!
“Neet allegedly exploited college football fans and investors for personal gain, and the FBI is committed to holding those who engage in fraud accountable,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, in the same press release. “As the popularity of college football continues to grow, we urge fans and investors alike to be vigilant and verify the legitimacy of any offers they receive, particularly when large sums of money are at stake.”
Neet allegedly purported to “sell” tickets to UGA’s games against Alabama, Texas, and Ole Miss, games that would fetch big money on the secondary market. No doubt the victims paid top dollar for what they thought were tickets to consequential conference games. Go big or go home, I suppose.
“Matthew Neet allegedly defrauded investors and college football fans by offering fraudulent property investment opportunities when he had no intention of actually investing the funds he received,” the DOJ continues, while also reminding us that Neet is innocent until proven guilty.
Lest you think the plot is thick enough, there’s more. A company called BigBuck, LLC, sued Neet for breach of contract in the spring of 2024. In November of that year, the sheriff’s office in Jones County, Ga., arrested Neet for allegedly bilking dozens of victims out of over $1.3 million.
“There are currently 30 or more victims across the state who have been taken for over 1.3 million dollars,” the Jones County Sheriff’s Office posted on Facebook last year. “Turns out, Neet had been selling football tickets, concert tickets, and even real estate that never existed for quite some time.”
I couldn’t find out whether the Jones County case is related to the federal case. I’m inclined to think not, since the UGA games Neet allegedly sold fake tickets to, according to the feds, were all home games at Sanford Stadium this season.
If nothing else, let this be a public service announcement: If a stranger promises you great seats to a sold-out SEC rivalry game at a cut-rate price, run. If somebody offers you a killer investment deal in Costa Rica, verify. The secondary ticketing market and wealth-creation run on the hopes that what you’re getting is the real deal. As the old saying goes, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
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