Leicester firm accused of selling Olympics tickets for 10 times their face value

A firm yesterday appeared in court accused of selling Olympics tickets for 10 times their face value.

Imperial Corporate Events, of Regent House, Regent Road, Leicester, was one of three firms charged in relation to the alleged offences.

An investigation into the alleged scam began after the passes were sold to top City law firm Linklaters, which asked police to check the company's credentials.

Prosecutor Rob Davis told Westminster Magistrates' Court that Sportsworld Group was authorised by Games organising body Locog to sell tickets internationally, but is said to have passed them to sister company Events International Ltd.

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They were then apparently sold to Imperial Corporate Events, which is said to have made sales to companies including HSBC, Shell and Linklaters.

Mr Davis said: "The first the police knew of the matter is when Linklaters made the report to police in relation to the sale of tickets to it.

"Following that, an investigation commenced.

"Imperial Corporate Events was visited by officers who recovered documents that point to the fact that the sale of tickets had been going on way back into May 2011."

He said buyers paid up to £21,120 for a pair of tickets for tomorrow's opening ceremony in Stratford, east London.

Tickets were also sold for the men's 100m final, in which Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt is the favourite.

It is alleged that a total of 52 tickets were sold for a total of £205,062. The face value of the passes is said to be £22,920.

Sportsworld Group and Events International, both of Crawley Business Quarter, Fleming Way, Crawley, West Sussex, and Imperial Corporate Events are each charged with 15 counts of selling Olympic Games tickets without authority.

This is an offence under the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Act 2006.

District Judge Howard Riddle adjourned the case until September.

If the charges are admitted or the companies are found guilty, they could face a maximum penalty of £300,000 – £20,000 per offence.