Taipei police yesterday said they are investigating a couple over allegations of scalping pop star Jay Chou’s (周杰倫) concert tickets, as part of what they claim to be the nation’s largest scalping group.
Tickets to the pop star’s concerts in December sold out within five minutes on Wednesday for all four shows.
An investigation team was formed under the instruction of Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) and Taipei Police Department Commissioner Li Hsi-ho (李西河) after receiving reports about scalpers selling tickets to the concerts, the department’s Criminal Investigation Division said in a news release.
Photo: Tien Yu-hua, Taipei Times
A man surnamed Liu (劉) and his wife allegedly used a large number of fake accounts and computer programs to buy tickets en masse and sell them on online social platforms, while promoting their business with messaging software and guaranteeing they had the tickets, police said.
It is estimated that nearly 100 people have already paid the suspects for tickets to Chou’s concerts, they said.
The couple was transferred to the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office on suspicion of contravening the Development of the Cultural and Creative Industries Act (文化創意產業發展法), forging instruments and fraud, they added.
Chou is holding concerts for his Carnival World Tour at the Taipei Dome from Dec. 5 to 8, the first time he is to perform in Taiwan in years.
A total of 890,583 users visited the site at once to purchase the 150,000 available tickets on Wednesday afternoon, JVR Music said.
The box office value of the tickets reached more than NT$657 million (US$20.5 million).
The Criminal Investigation Division warned that people who sell concert tickets at inflated prices might face fraud and forgery charges.
Vigilant enforcement action is being taken, it added.
The police urged the public not to fall victim to fraud, as criminals might sell tickets with fake serial numbers.
It would be best for consumers to buy tickets from official Web sites or sales platforms, it added.
Additional reporting by Chen Hui-ling and Kayleigh Madjar
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man