BOSTON (WHDH) - As Massachusetts continues its anti-trust case against Live Nation, new court documents show employees at the ticketing company bragged about “robbing” customers.
The texts are between two employees who oversaw ticketing at two different venues.
One of the messages refers to charging what the employee called “outrageous” prices for VIP tickets, saying, “These people are so stupid… I almost feel bad taking advantage of them.”
The other employee boasts about inflating prices on premier parking, saying, “Robbing them blind baby… That’s how we do.”
He later describes how he hides high ticket prices, writing, “… In other venues I’ve worked, we’ve gotten people claiming we were only selling marked up tickets… I gouge them on ancillary prices to make up for it.”
The messages come amid a lawsuit between Live Nation and the federal government, along with dozens of states. They were released in a filing by government lawyers who insist they should be evidence in the trial against Live Nation and its subsidiary Ticketmaster.
The Department of Justice and Live Nation agreed on a settlement this week, but the group of states, including Massachusetts, has not. Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell said she will continue the legal fight.
Live Nation said it wants the messages kept out of the trial, saying the messages are banter between two friends who do not work together, not company policy. The company said the messages do not reflect its values and that it will investigate.
The trial is set to resume Monday.
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