A Massachusetts firefighter reportedly collected more than $14,000 from people expecting FIFA World Cup tickets, then produced a fabricated email claiming that a $157,000 pension withdrawal would allow him to repay them.
Robert Whelan, 50, told the buyers that his status as a New England Patriots season ticket holder gave him priority access to group purchases for matches at Gillette Stadium, prosecutors said.
The tickets never arrived, and investigators say none of the buyers received their money back.
Whelan pleaded not guilty on Aug. 3 to larceny by false pretense, document forgery and uttering a false instrument. The charges are allegations, and no conviction or restitution order has been entered.
He Claimed Patriots Status Gave Him Priority Access
Whelan told multiple people that he had “hit the lottery” as a Patriots season ticket holder and could use his regular ticket contact to make a bulk World Cup purchase. He described himself as the middleman through whom the buyers’ money had to pass, according to the criminal complaint cited by CBS Boston.
The group transferred more than $14,000 to Whelan. Authorities have not disclosed the precise number of buyers, how many tickets each person expected or the individual payment amounts.
Patch reported that the Patriots did not have anyone named Robert Whelan listed as a season ticket holder. Whelan’s defense attorney later offered a different account, saying his client had also been deceived by a ticket broker who had previously obtained tickets for Whelan and his family.
The Confirmation Email Used Patriots Branding and Ticketmaster
After receiving the money, Whelan allegedly sent an email that appeared to confirm the World Cup ticket purchase. Investigators said the message used a New England Patriots logo and directed the buyers to Ticketmaster.
Police determined that a genuine confirmation would have carried FIFA branding and directed the purchaser to FIFA’s official World Cup ticketing system.
The Missing Tickets Produced a Series of Explanations
When the tickets did not appear, prosecutors say Whelan gave the buyers varying explanations. He eventually claimed that all of the tickets had been flagged and canceled because of internal fraud concerns and that refunds would be issued. No tickets or refunds followed, according to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office.
As the buyers continued seeking their money, Whelan allegedly said he would withdraw funds from his Somerville retirement account and use the proceeds to repay everyone. He supplied a screenshot of an email claiming that a $157,000 pension withdrawal had been approved on June 25.
The message purported to come from Michael Pasquariello, director of the Somerville Retirement Board. Police contacted Pasquariello, who said he had not written the email and that no withdrawal had occurred. He also told investigators that an active city employee could not remove money from the account in the manner described.
Whelan Pleaded Not Guilty and Was Released
Police arrested Whelan on July 30. He was arraigned Aug. 3 in Somerville District Court and pleaded not guilty to larceny exceeding $250 by false pretense, forgery of a document and uttering a false instrument.
His attorney, Sean Delaney, told the court that Whelan was himself a victim who had been conned by a ticket broker. Whelan was released on personal recognizance. Somerville placed him on paid administrative leave from the Fire Department while the case remains pending.
Ticket Buyers Should Verify Ownership Before Paying a Middleman
FIFA says a completed purchase through an official sales phase generates a confirmation email from FIFA Ticketing containing a ticket purchase number. The organization identifies FIFA.com/tickets as its official and preferred ticket source.
FIFA warns that tickets purchased through unofficial channels may be fraudulent, invalid, resold to multiple people or canceled. A buyer considering tickets from another person should confirm that the transfer or resale will occur through FIFA’s official ticketing platform rather than through a screenshot, forwarded email or promise of future delivery.
Anyone who has already paid for tickets that were never delivered should contact the bank, credit-card issuer or payment service immediately and ask what dispute or recall options remain available. Suspected ticket fraud can also be reported to local police and through ReportFraud.ftc.gov.