Hated events company Ticketmaster was fined $10m by the U.S. Department of Justice for "intrusions" into a competitor's computer systems.
"Ticketmaster employees repeatedly – and illegally – accessed a competitor's computers without authorization using stolen passwords to unlawfully collect business intelligence," stated Acting U.S. Attorney DuCharme. "Further, Ticketmaster's employees brazenly held a division-wide 'summit' at which the stolen passwords were used to access the victim company's computers, as if that were an appropriate business tactic. Today's resolution demonstrates that any company that obtains a competitor's confidential information for commercial advantage, without authority or permission, should expect to be held accountable in federal court."
Ticketmaster made itself more despised than it already was by stiffing customers during the pandemic, and this fine is another reminder that leopards don't change their spots: they just keep eating people's faces until something stops them.
UPDATE: A statement from Ticketmaster, referring to the staff responsible:
"Ticketmaster terminated both Zaidi and Mead in 2017, after their conduct came to light. Their actions violated our corporate policies and were inconsistent with our values. We are pleased that this matter is now resolved."
