Fraudster Fined £40 for Selling Fake Oasis Wembley Tickets to 11 Victims
A fraudster who sold counterfeit Oasis concert tickets to pay off her debts has been handed a community order and ordered to pay a fine of £40. Rosie Slater, 33, exploited her connections with wealthy and famous individuals to deceive 11 victims, resulting in an estimated total loss of £4,000, according to Staffordshire Police.
Exploiting Connections for Personal Gain
Slater, who admitted to 11 counts of fraud by false representation at a hearing in December, appeared at North Staffordshire Justice Centre wearing a black outfit with a blazer. Prosecutor Kyle Padley stated that Slater, formerly of Betley in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, falsely claimed she had access to Oasis tickets, including VIP box seats at Wembley Stadium.
One man, who purchased 15 tickets from her, created two WhatsApp groups and invited friends he believed might be interested in buying some. In these groups, Slater offered tickets at £130 each, leading some individuals to send her money directly and book non-refundable hotel rooms for the concert dates.
Mr Padley told the court: "It later came out the defendant was lying." He added that during police interviews, Slater claimed she started with good intentions but the situation escalated beyond her control.
Sentencing and Compensation
The defendant received a 12-month community order and must pay a £40 fine along with compensation of £776.98 to five of her victims. Some victims have already obtained refunds, the court heard. Additionally, Slater was ordered to pay a £114 victim surcharge and £85 in costs, and will complete 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days as part of her sentence.
Defense attorney Simon Leech argued that Slater did not spend the money extravagantly but used it to pay household debts, including council tax payments.
Police Investigation Findings
Detective Constable David Stubbs of Staffordshire Police commented: "She does have connections with some of our wealthy, rich and famous people and has been fortunate enough to previously attend concerts, and due to this she was able to convince her victims that she had credible access to both the tickets and the VIP box at Wembley Stadium."
He emphasized that no evidence of coercion was found, stating: "She has acted, we believe, purely out of greed, exploiting her connections for personal gain. This has left the victims obviously very upset. It's caused a lot of anger and hurt, really, particularly as she used some of the victims to attract more victims."
Broader Ticket Sales Investigation
A Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) investigation was launched into Ticketmaster's sales practices for Oasis tickets in 2024. The probe revealed that Ticketmaster failed to inform fans in lengthy queues that standing tickets were being sold at two different prices, with prices increasing once cheaper tickets sold out.
The CMA found that Ticketmaster sold some "platinum" tickets at nearly two and a half times the price of standard tickets without adequately explaining that these offered no additional benefits in the same venue areas. In response, the CMA now requires Ticketmaster to notify fans 24 hours in advance if a tiered pricing system is implemented, as was the case for Oasis standing tickets.
Tickets for the band's reunion tour, marking their first gigs in 16 years, were also listed on secondary ticket resale websites for thousands of pounds, highlighting ongoing issues in the ticket market.
