Suspect detained by Russian police for selling fake World Cup tickets

Suspects accused of sellling fake World Cup tickets to Chinese football fans have been detained by Russian police, reports Xinhua News Agency.

Chinese football fans at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia group B match between Portugal and Morocco at Luzhniki Stadium on June 20, 2018 in Moscow, Russia.[Photo: VCG]

The fake tickets were released by Russian travel agency ANJI MSK in what is believed to be the largest scam of its kind in World Cup history. More than 10,000 fake tickets were issued, with 3,500 flowing into China.

Issayev, the executive manager of ANJI MSK, has denied that he deceived Chinese fans. He admitted to have collected the personal information of about 1,000 Chinese customers, promising to buy them tickets. He says that he had trouble buying tickets, and claims that he was subsequently duped by his business partner.

China's embassy in Russia and Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Issayev was detained on suspicion of collecting 1.1 million U.S. dollars for the fake tickets, according to Russian newspaper Kommersant.