Fred Bear Jr. from central Indiana is facing multiple felony charges for allegedly selling counterfeit Indianapolis 500 season passes, costing the Indianapolis Motor Speedway over $150,000. Court documents reveal that Bear obtained a legitimate pass from someone working security at IMS and then paid a local printer to make counterfeit copies, which were sold through an Ohio company on third-party sites like Seat Geek, StubHub, and Vivid Seats. The fake passes included parking passes, Snake Pit Wristbands, and Carb Day Passes, all of which were sold for more than face value.
President of Indianapolis Motor Speedway Doug Boles emphasized that tickets should only be purchased directly from the speedway or through authorized platforms to ensure their legitimacy. Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears has stated that efforts will be made to bring Bear to justice for his fraudulent activities, with IMPD committing to supporting victims of such scams.
Boles reminded the public to report any suspicious activity related to ticket sales to prevent further incidents of fraud. Additionally, court documents have revealed that Bear was also involved in stealing suite tickets and money laundering activities during the College Football National Championship game in Indianapolis in 2022. This underscores the importance of ensuring the safety and legitimacy of ticket purchases for major events in the city.
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