Céline Dion’s Paris Triumph Turns Into a Crackdown on Fake Ticket Sellers

ASN NEWS USA — SPECIAL REPORT
By ASN News Editorial Desk

ASN NEWS USA banner above Paris concert; text reads LIVE FRANCE, LIVE CONCERT PARIS, PARIS FRANCE

PARIS (ASN NEWS USA) — Céline Dion’s return to the Paris stage was the live music event of the year in France — 16 concerts, 539,000 fans, and $125.5 million in revenue, according to Billboard. But behind the triumph, a darker story was playing out: a flood of fake tickets that left fans locked out and out of pocket.

France’s leading live entertainment trade group, Ekhoscènes, said Monday it has launched more than 50 legal actions against people who sold counterfeit tickets to the shows, which ran from September 12 to October 17.

Nine Million People Wanted In

The demand for Dion’s Paris residency was staggering. Nine million prospective concertgoers entered the ticket lottery. That kind of demand, Ekhoscènes executive director Malika Séguineau said at a press briefing Monday, created a feeding frenzy for scammers.

“We have never seen such a surge in scammers and black market ticket sales,” Séguineau said.

The group is particularly focused on Viagogo, based in Delaware in the United States, and Ticombo, based in Bulgaria. A complaint has also been filed against Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, with Arcom, France’s audiovisual and internet regulator.

The Bigger Fight

Séguineau also used the moment to take on the French government, denouncing a plan in the 2027 budget bill to cap a tax that funds the National Music Center. Thanks to Dion’s concerts, proceeds from that tax were boosted by 4 million euros and are expected to reach 73 million euros by year’s end — but the government plans to cap it at 58 million euros, diverting 15 million euros to the general budget.

Dion’s Paris run proved the power of live music to move a nation — and a whole economy. Now the industry is fighting to make sure the fans who paid for that magic actually get to see the show.

Stay tuned to ASN News USA for continuing coverage of this developing story.

Reported by ASN News USA. Visit asnnewsusa.com or follow @ASNNewsUSA for updates.

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