Woman Stole Over 8 Crore; Bought Taylor Swift Eras Tour Ticket, Imprisoned For 20 Years
Washington DC, US: A US woman from Maryland, Jennifer Tinker, has pleaded guilty to embezzling over $1 million (nearly Rs 8.3 crore) from the real estate agency she worked for. She reportedly used the stolen money to fund an extravagant lifestyle, which included buying Taylor Swift concert tickets, going for luxury vacations and buying five vehicles.
The 41-year-old carried out the scheme between 2021 and 2023, transferring funds from her employer’s accounts to her own, according to the US Attorney’s Office District of Maryland.
As per a statement issued by the US Attorney’s Office District of Maryland, “Tinker defrauded a real estate agency that she worked for by transferring more than $1 million of company funds through wire transfers, Zelle payments, checks, and ACH to her personal bank accounts. Tinker fraudulently embezzled funds from the real estate agency’s accounts – including its escrow, operating, and commission accounts”.
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To cover up the theft, she fabricated names for recipients on wire transfer documents to make the transactions seem authentic. She redirected the misappropriated funds into her own bank accounts.
The woman had executed 90 such transfers over the course of three years, from February 2021 to November 2023. She also manipulated her employer’s financial records by making fraudulent changes and entries to hide the unauthorised transactions, as per media report.
The fraudulent activities came to light after a thorough investigation, which lead to federal charges of wire fraud against Tinker. Tinker now faces up to 20 years in prison for her crimes. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 10, 2025, where the court will determine her fate.
Among several other things, the woman used the stolen money to buy tickets for pop sensation Taylor Swift’s popular Eras Tour, which was known for its high price ranging from $500 to $5,000 (around Rs 51,000 to Rs 4.2 lakh) per ticket for certain shows, as reported by Billboard.
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The singer set a new record with her Eras Tour by earning a staggering $2 billion (around Rs 16,600 crore) in ticket sales. In October 2023, Taylor Swift officially joined the ranks of billionaires, which is believed to be largely due to the immense success of the Eras Tour and the substantial worth of her music catalogue. She reportedly became the first musician to achieve billionaire status predominantly due to her songs and live performances.
