Michael, Buchwald, NFL senior counsel, legal, holds up Super Bowl LIII tickets as he explains the security features on the tickets during a news conference, Jan. 31, 2019, in Atlanta. (Associated Press)
A former Microsoft sports marketing director pleaded guilty Thursday to a federal wire-fraud charge after allegedly using his position to defraud the company of nearly $1 million in Super Bowl tickets, reports said.
Jeff Tran, 45, allegedly stole 62 Super Bowl tickets intended for company employees and sold them online for $200,000, the Seattle Times reported, citing an indictment.
Tran oversaw Microsoft’s promotional relationship with the National Football League, officials said. He caused fake invoices to be issued to Microsoft for services supposedly related to Super Bowl LI in 2017, according to the plea agreement. When Microsoft confronted Tran, he returned the $775,000.
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Prosecutors accused Tran of stealing blocks of Super Bowl tickets and Super Bowl Party ticket belonging to Microsoft, the Times reported. He allegedly sold them through a ticket broker and pocketed the funds, officials said.
But Tran has already paid Microsoft more than $1 million in restitution, the Seattle Times reported.
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Tran will be sentenced on May 10.
Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Prosecutors have agreed to recommend a sentence of no more than three years in prison.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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