I Team

Schaumburg scalper 'Tommy Tickets' said that he's never sold a fake, pleads not guilty in court

ByJason Knowles and Ann Pistone WLS logo

Sunday, March 22, 2020

Tommy Tickets pleads guilty in court.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A popular ticket scalper is now facing criminal charges in two states for taking money for events but never delivering tickets.

Thomas Ryan, more commonly known as "Tommy Tickets," shared his side of the legal disputes with a well-known sports website, Barstool.

Ryan told Barstool, "I like to make dreams come true."

"Sometimes I will lose money to make the customer happy because I want return business," he said.

Last year, The I-Team reported on 3 consumer complaints last year where customers alleged that Ryan also known as "Tommy tickets" failed to get them their tickets after they paid.

The Illinois Attorney General's Office supplied the I-Team with three separate claims from consumers alleging that Ryan charged them for anywhere from $600 to $31,000 for tickets they never received.

Ryan faces three felony counts of continuing a financial crimes enterprise. The complaint alleges Ryan committed three separate theft by deception offenses. Those customers all claim they paid Ryan for tickets to events, and he never came through.

Ryan has been in prison in Will County and was held briefly in Cook County jail before being extradited to Texas last month.

There was also a Houston woman who said she paid Ryan $1,000 cash in 2017 for Super Bowl tickets. She says her tickets were confiscated for being counterfeit.

Texas Court records show that Ryan paid $1,000 in compensation to the victim as part of a settlement. The case was then dismissed.

"I'll have my day in court and be vindicated, but this was a whole bunch of angry women. Yes the order got screwed up, and I apologize about any bad ticket orders. I'm Tommy Tickets baby, just like I said. All the customers were paid back," he told Barstool.

The I-Team has confirmed that two out of the three women featured in our first report have since been refunded.

"These were a few bad orders. I can bring in a thousand people that would tell you of my good orders,"Ryan told Barstool. "It's the whole conspiracy with this I-Team guy. I never sold a fake ticket in my life."

The I-Team's ConsumerInvestigator, Jason Knowles, attempted to catch up with Ryan outside of court where he plead not guilty.

Ryan declined to speak to Knowles.

As for that now dismissed case in Texas, In court documents Ryan said he had never been in Texas, even though his wallet was found in Houston.

When buying tickets you should always go through a licensed ticket broker and check their record online.

Report a correction or typo