Ontario couple guilty of defrauding 107 Taylor Swift ticket buyers for $265,000
Milton residents Denise Tisor and David Blake pleaded guilty to scamming fans during the Eras Tour. They spent $139,144 of victims' money on online gambling.
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An Ontario couple pleaded guilty Thursday to defrauding 107 people out of over $265,000 by selling fake Taylor Swift Eras Tour tickets, a Milton court heard.
Denise Tisor and her common-law partner David Blake began their scam in summer 2023, during the lead-up to the sold-out Eras Tour's six-night Toronto run in November 2024. They found victims online and sold them counterfeit tickets that never materialized.
According to court documents, the pair knowingly defrauded buyers. They spent at least $139,144 of victim funds on online gambling and withdrew over $297,000 in 350 ATM transactions between July 2023 and November 2024.
When fans realized the fraud in 2024, Tisor initially told reporters an unnamed third party had stolen the money—a claim documents show was false. She later posted a Facebook apology, writing: "Addiction consumed my thinking. At the time, all I cared about was feeding that addiction. Looking back, I can see how much pain it caused, and I have to live with that every day."
One victim told media: "She has had no effort to repay anyone." A sentencing date has not yet been set.
The facts
How many Taylor Swift ticket buyers were defrauded?
107 people were defrauded by Denise Tisor and David Blake in the scam.
How much money did the Ontario couple steal?
Denise Tisor and David Blake defrauded victims out of over $265,000.
When did the ticket scam take place?
The scam began in summer 2023 and continued through November 2024, coinciding with Taylor Swift's Eras Tour six-night Toronto run.
How much of the stolen money was spent on gambling?
At least $139,144 of victim funds was spent by Tisor and Blake on online gambling.
