WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th August, 2021) The United States has indicted former employee with the US Golf Association (USGA) on charges of pocketing over $1 million from the sale of $3 million in tickets to the US Open over seven years, the Justice Department said on Tuesday.
"Robert Fryer, 39... was charged by Information with one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, four counts of mail fraud, and ten counts of wire fraud related to a scheme to embezzle and pocket fraudulent proceeds from the unauthorized sale of United States Open Championship ('US Open') tickets, one of four major championships for golf," the Justice Department said in a press release.
The term information refers to an accusation to be presented to a grand jury for a formal criminal indictment, according to the Justice Department.
Beginning in advance of the 2013 US Open held in Pennsylvania, and continuing through the 2019 tournament held in California, Fryer abused his position in the USGA Admissions Office in order to steal more than 23,000 admission tickets, the release said.
The face value of the tickets that the defendant stole was more the $3 million. He then re-sold the stolen tickets to brokers and pocketed more than $1 million, the release added.
Fryer faces a maximum sentence 300 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $3,750,000 fine. In addition, Fryer will be required to pay restitution to the USGA and forfeit the proceeds he obtained as a result of his fraud, according to the release.
