Ticket Broker Sued Over 18.5 Million Tickets, $120 Million in Resale Profits

The Justice Department has sued a California ticket broker and three of its executives, accusing them of bypassing online purchase limits to acquire more than 18.5 million tickets and generate at least $120.8 million in resale profits. The October 15, 2026, lawsuit alleges that REPS & Company used thousands of accounts and other tactics to secure tickets for concerts by Beyoncé, Post Malone, Pitbull and other major performers, often purchasing far more seats than individual buyers were allowed.

Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California following a referral from the Federal Trade Commission, the civil complaint names REPS CEO Ryan Pancheri, President Brian Archibald and Chief Operating Officer Nicholas Totagrande as defendants. Prosecutors allege that the San Diego-based company spent more than $1.3 billion acquiring tickets to over 83,500 events since 2022, reselling them at markups through platforms including StubHub, Vivid Seats, SeatGeek, Gametime and Ticketmaster.

The government accuses the defendants of violating the Better Online Ticket Sales Act, known as the BOTS Act, which prohibits circumventing technological safeguards used to enforce posted ticket purchase limits. While reselling tickets is generally lawful, using prohibited methods to bypass those restrictions can violate federal law. The lawsuit also alleges violations of the Federal Trade Commission Act.

According to the complaint, REPS relied on thousands of accounts created using employees' and third parties' names and addresses, along with company-controlled payment methods and technological tools designed to disguise purchasing activity. The operation allegedly used proxy internet addresses, virtual private networks and specialized browsers to evade systems that ticket issuers employ to detect buyers exceeding their limits.

When ticketing platforms identified suspicious activity and blocked purchases, the company allegedly adjusted account information, including slight changes to names and addresses, to avoid detection. Prosecutors say REPS used software to identify events likely to sell out, allowing its purchasing teams to target high-demand tickets before reselling them at higher prices.

One example involves Beyoncé's Renaissance World Tour concert at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City on October 1, 2023. The government alleges that REPS used at least 1,300 accounts to purchase 7,624 tickets through Ticketmaster, despite a purchase limit of four to eight tickets per buyer. The company allegedly earned approximately $833,000 in profit from reselling those seats.

At a September 7, 2024, Pitbull concert in Syracuse, New York, prosecutors say REPS used at least 700 accounts to acquire 5,430 tickets, nearly one-third of the capacity of the Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater. Those purchases allegedly generated another $120,000 in resale profits.

Beyond major concerts, REPS allegedly targeted Broadway productions, college sporting events and other live entertainment. Prosecutors contend that the defendants repeatedly circumvented ticketing safeguards intended to distribute available seats among individual customers, allowing the company to accumulate large inventories that could later be sold at substantial markups.

Company records cited in the complaint also suggest that REPS was aware of the federal restrictions governing its business. In a 2022 financial audit questionnaire, it identified the BOTS Act as applicable to its operations and required certain business partners to agree to comply with the law. Prosecutors maintain that the defendants nevertheless continued using methods designed to evade purchase limits.

Federal attorneys are seeking civil penalties, monetary relief, and a permanent injunction prohibiting future violations. The requested injunction could restrict the company's ticket-purchasing practices if granted, while financial penalties would depend on the violations established and the applicable federal statutes. The alleged $120.8 million in resale profits represents the government's estimate of what REPS earned, rather than an amount already awarded by a court.

As a civil enforcement action brought under federal consumer protection laws, the lawsuit requires the government to establish that the defendants engaged in prohibited conduct, including circumventing ticketing controls covered by the BOTS Act, to obtain the relief it seeks.

Proceedings remain pending in the Southern District of California. No court has determined that REPS or its executives violated federal law or ruled on the government's requests for financial penalties and an injunction.