SEVENTEEN Ticket Scalpers Get Prison Terms, Face Over $730K Forfeiture

K-POP group SEVENTEEN's agency, PLEDIS Entertainment, said professional ticket scalpers who illegally resold tickets for its artists' concerts have been sentenced to prison.

In a statement on Monday, PLEDIS said it had worked closely with investigators to identify and prosecute the scalpers. According to the agency, two of those arrested received prison sentences of one year and eight months and one year and four months, respectively. The court also ordered them to forfeit a combined total of more than $730,000 (1 billion won).

In March, PLEDIS announced that police had arrested a scalping ring accused of using macro programs to buy concert tickets in bulk and resell them at inflated prices. The agency said the ring had generated about $5.1 million (7 billion won) in illicit proceeds. At the time, PLEDIS said it had participated in on-site monitoring and provided investigators with evidence and written statements.

Investigations into other professional scalpers, including those based overseas, are ongoing, the agency said. PLEDIS added that it continues to cooperate with investigators' requests.

"We will continue to track down illegal ticket trading by professional scalpers to the end, without leniency, and respond firmly," PLEDIS said.