(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine today announced Kathleen Kinsella of Stark County will be sentenced December 21, after pleading guilty to theft involving a ticket scam on craigslist.
Investigators say Kinsella posted ads on craigslist in Ohio and more than 19 other states to sell popular tickets to Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, and the Jonas Brothers concerts among others. Once victims wired the money, Kinsella did not deliver the tickets. In Stark County Common Pleas Court, Kinsella admitted to stealing $5,499 from multiple victims from December 2009 through May 2011.
"Cyber fraud is one of the fastest growing problems for law enforcement," said Attorney General Mike DeWine. "Whether someone steals five-thousand dollars or five-million dollars, my office is committed to helping law enforcement and prosecutors bring these people to justice."
This case involves a cooperative effort among the Ohio Attorney General's Economic Crimes Division, the Jackson Township Police Department, and Stark County Prosecutor John D. Ferrero's office.
In this case, as in many other cyber fraud cases, complaints were made to the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Section and law enforcement agencies in several different states. After conducting the initial investigation and locating the suspect, the Ohio Attorney General's Economic Crimes Division worked with the Jackson Township Police Department to complete the investigation. Stark County Prosecutor John Ferrero's office is handling the prosecution.
Kinsella will be sentenced for theft, a felony of the fifth degree, on December 21 at 8:30 a.m. in the Stark County Common Pleas Court.
"We will continue to caution Ohioans to be careful where you buy tickets to concerts and other events," DeWine said. "To ensure that tickets are legitimate, and that the tickets even exist in the first place, it's best to use an authorized ticket seller."
Attorney General DeWine's newly created Economic Crimes Division, which conducts criminal investigations within the Consumer Protection Section, has investigated dozens of cases that have led to nine indictments so far in 2011. There were two indictments in 2010.
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