In Huntley, Illinois, a man known as “Tommy Tickets” has gained notoriety as a local ticket scalper, offering access to some of the most sought-after shows and events.
However, the ABC7 Chicago I-Team has been inundated with complaints from individuals who allege they were defrauded by this ticket seller.
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Thomas Ryan, who operates under the alias “Tommy Tickets,” has recently completed a 30-month probation period. Many consumers have reported paying him for tickets that were never received.
Fresh allegations have now surfaced, prompting more disgruntled customers to reach out to the I-Team for assistance.
Ryan was initially spotlighted in a report from March 2020.
His probationary period concluded in January of this year, but the complaints continue to mount.
He had pleaded guilty to one felony count of “continuing a financial crimes enterprise” in Will County.
It all came after a series of I-Team reports in which customers alleged that Ryan failed to get them their tickets, after they paid.
Now, new consumers say they were ripped off, too, months before Ryan’s probation ended.
“I work really hard for my money, and I just don’t want to throw it away,” Diane Brown said.
Brown from north suburban Huntley says she connected with Ryan on Facebook. She has since filed a local police report and an Illinois attorney general report, saying she paid Ryan almost $350 in October of 2025 for a ticket to an upcoming Rush concert.
“And we paid, and I waited and kept asking for the tickets. And I waited,” Brown said.
Brown says she kept waiting skeptically and then demanded a refund when she saw Ryan had posted the 2020 I-Team story about him.
“I guess he’s proud of it,” she said.
Her friend also paid $350 for a Rush ticket and $1,400 for Bears tickets last year. That woman didn’t talk on camera but shared her documents. She filed a report with Franklin Park police and with the Illinois attorney general.
“My girlfriend and I saw them in high school. We were excited to see them again at this age, and it’s just, it’s disappointing, very, very disappointing. You know, we both lost sleep over it. It’s a sick feeling when someone steals from you,” Brown said.
“Oh, my heart dropped. My stomach dropped. To be honest with you, it it’s one of those kicks in the guts that you’re like, doggone it, why was I so gullible? I guess,” James Wende said.
Wende and Becky Linden said they paid Ryan almost $6,500 for several different concert tickets. Some were for a Metallica show.
“He said originally that he was going to email them to me so we could get like the bar code or whatever when we walked up to the gate, blah, blah, blah,” Linden said.
Other tickets were for Lollapalooza and a Lady Gaga concert, and were investments they intended to resell. They, too, filed an Illinois attorney general report, listing alleged losses.
“We’re not expecting any money back. It’s more of just getting this man, you know, off the streets,” Wende said.
The Will County State’s Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on if Ryan violated his probation.
In several texts, Ryan said Wende and Linden were not “telling you the truth and the real deal.” But he did not give any other specific information. He didn’t comment on Brown and her friend’s allegations.
On a 2020 podcast, “The Dog Walk” on Barstool Sports, Ryan reminded listeners that he had paid back most of the consumers mentioned in previous stories.
“These were customers, yes. The tickets got screwed up, and I apologize for any bad ticket orders. I’m Tommy Tickets just like I said,” Ryan said.
“And I really hope that this person gets caught and put in jail. I don’t want it to happen to anybody else,” Brown said.
Over text, Ryan also said he would sit down for an on-camera interview, but never followed through.
Third-party ticket brokers in Illinois are required to register annually with the Illinois secretary of state, and the Better Business Bureau also keeps track.
The Illinois Secretary of State’s Office says “Tommy Tickets” or “Thomas Ryan’s” name was not listed.
Resources:
Check with the Illinois SOS public records; contact the Illinois Secretary of State – Index Department directly at 217-782-7017. Ask whether the business name or individual is currently registered as a ticket broker.
Better Business Bureau
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