During the Ultra Music Festival weekend, three men were arrested in downtown Miami for allegedly selling fake wristbands to attendees. Christophe Duckett, 38, of Memphis, Tennessee, and two others, Timothy Tedford and Carlon Tedford, face charges of organized scheme to defraud and conducting business without a proper license. According to WSVN, Duckett was arrested near Biscayne Boulevard and Northeast 4th Street after undercover detectives responded to reports of counterfeit wristbands.
Victims claimed they paid $1,200 for two wristbands from Duckett, only to be denied entry when festival staff identified the wristbands as fake. The victims confronted Duckett, who reportedly offered to refund only $400, stating that he had already given away the remaining amount. Authorities stated that none of the arrested men had authorization to sell merchandise or tickets in Miami.
NBC Miami reported a related incident involving the other two suspects. On Saturday, an undercover officer observed Carlon Tedford and Timothy Tedford selling wristbands to festivalgoers. The officer observed Carlon handing out the wristbands to the group, after which Timothy escorted them to the event,” as the NBC Miami reported.
The scheme was uncovered when the group entered the event, handed the wristbands back to Timothy, and he was stopped by officers. During the arrest of the Tedfords, another man tried to grab a black fanny pack from Carlon’s chest, leading to his detention. Police reviewed surveillance footage and found that the scheme involved selling wristbands, escorting victims into the event, and then collecting the wristbands back to repeat the process.
As the investigation continues, the three men await further legal proceedings.
