A Cobb County man allegedly drove 700 miles to sell phony tickets to Game 4 of the NBA Finals. But after selling three fake tickets for $2,100, the 27-year-old was arrested outside Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena, according to police.
Matthew Cubbage sold three tickets to Friday night’s Cleveland Cavaliers-Golden State Warriors game to a Pennsylvania man outside the arena, according to Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia with Cleveland police. Robert Williams told police he negotiated with Cubbage before agreeing to pay $700 each for the tickets, Ciaccia said.
Before Williams walked away, he took a time-stamped picture of Cubbage. It was that picture that helped officers find Cubbage, who had more fake tickets to sell, police said.
Williams and two others weren’t allowed into the arena because the tickets were fake. But an off-duty Cleveland officer working at the arena was nearby, and Williams shared the picture of the man who sold him the tickets, Ciaccia said. The officer shared the photo with other officers in the area, and Cubbage was spotted.
“Anyone need tickets?” Cubbage allegedly said as a plain-clothes officer walked by.
Cubbage, who had nine additional fake tickets, claimed he bought the tickets for $275 each and believed they were real, according to police. He was charged with trademark counterfeiting and theft by deception.
On Monday, Cubbage waived his first court appearance and his case was bound over to the Cuyahoga County Grand Jury. Bond was set at $25,000.
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