A Spanish football referee was arrested for allegedly stealing the identities of young players to obtain and resell discounted Villarreal season tickets through fraudulent digital marketplaces.
Spanish authorities have arrested a referee and another individual for alleged identity theft and ticket fraud involving Villarreal season tickets.
The suspects reportedly exploited access to young players’ personal data to secure discounts reserved for those under 25.
By falsifying barcodes and QR codes, they resold these “gifts” on second-hand apps, prompting the club to alert police after detecting tampered entries at the stadium.
The detainees, now released on bail, allegedly registered 18 unsuspecting individuals as club members by claiming they belonged to a Valencia-based scout group.
While the referee’s identity remains undisclosed, the case has been referred to the Vila-real courthouse.
This incident follows past controversies involving officials, though notable referee Slavko Vincic was previously exonerated after being “mistakenly arrested” during an unrelated police operation in 2020.