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Written by: A. Smith
Published December 22, 2025 @ 1:05 PM ET
FULTON COUNTY, Ga. – A metro Atlanta man has been charged in federal court with scamming college football fans and investors out of nearly $1 million through fraudulent ticket sales and bogus investment schemes, prosecutors said Friday.
Matthew Neet, 43, of Alpharetta, was arraigned on a wire fraud charge after authorities said he cheated more than two dozen victims out of about $943,000. Neet waived indictment and agreed to proceed without a grand jury, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
Prosecutors said Neet falsely claimed he could secure hard-to-get University of Georgia football tickets, including tickets for high-profile games against Alabama, Texas and Mississippi. At the same time, investigators said he solicited money from investors by promising profits from timberland projects in Costa Rica.
According to federal authorities, Neet had no intention of delivering the tickets or investing the funds as promised. Instead, prosecutors said he used the money for his own personal expenses.
“Neet allegedly defrauded at least two dozen football fans and investors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars,” U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said in a statement. “As we enter the college football playoff, fans should exercise caution when purchasing tickets for games.”
FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown said the case highlights the need for vigilance when dealing with unsolicited offers involving large sums of money.
“We urge fans and investors alike to be vigilant and verify the legitimacy of any offers they receive, particularly when large sums of money are at stake,” Brown said.
The FBI continues to investigate the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samir Kaushal is prosecuting.