Miles Hart, a charismatic former student of elite Millfield School, has been exposed for orchestrating a sophisticated £1 million scam involving fake Glastonbury tickets, leveraging his social connections to defraud hundreds of people. His elaborate deception, which included false promises of VIP access and luxury accommodations, unraveled as the 2024 festival approached, leaving victims stranded and demanding refunds while he vanished into hiding.
Hart’s scheme began years earlier, capitalizing on his reputation as someone who could secure exclusive access to the sold-out Glastonbury Festival. Friends from his school days recall his ability to arrange extravagant trips, such as a surprise private jet journey to Paris, which in hindsight may have been funded by illicit means. He claimed that family connections and land ownership near the festival site granted him privileged entry, convincing acquaintances and later a broader network of buyers to purchase tickets at inflated prices. By 2022, he had already defrauded former schoolmates, failing to deliver tickets and ignoring repayment requests, even after one victim’s death.
The scam escalated in 2024, with Hart promising tickets through intermediaries like an Ibiza promoter, Kai Cant, and a company called Star Gaze Entertainment. Customers paid nearly £1 million for passes that never materialized, with some transactions exceeding £10,000 per ticket. In the days leading up to the festival, he arranged meet-ups at hotels across England to hand over tickets personally, but failed to appear, instead blaming Glastonbury organizers for ‘shutting down’ the operation. Victims received cryptic calls from hidden numbers before Hart disappeared entirely, leaving many without recourse.
The fallout extended beyond ticket sales, revealing a pattern of financial exploitation and personal betrayal. Hart’s godmother, Annamaria, disclosed that he owed her £90,000 from a bounced cheque after bidding on her house at auction, adding to a history of unpaid debts. Elle, a former friend, uncovered evidence that Hart had used schoolmates as ‘money mules,’ opening bank accounts in their names to launder funds, which exposed them to potential legal and security risks. This left many facing unintended consequences, from debt collectors to threats, with one home owner installing extensive security after intimidation.
Hart’s whereabouts remain unknown, though a covert recording captured him admitting to involvement in the scam and promising to repay debts within 56 days—a commitment he has not fulfilled. The Metropolitan Police are investigating up to 50 allegations of ticket fraud related to Glastonbury 2024, while intermediaries like Kai Cant have repaid their customers out of pocket, citing personal safety concerns. Hart’s lawyers have cited ‘material errors’ in allegations but provided no substantive defense, and he was last spotted near Glastonbury ahead of this year’s festival.
This case underscores the vulnerabilities in secondary ticket markets and the dangers of trusting unverified sellers for high-demand events. Glastonbury Festival reiterates that only official tickets purchased through See Tickets are valid, emphasizing measures like photo ID links to prevent fraud. As scams become more sophisticated, authorities and consumer advocates urge increased vigilance, with the BBC’s exposure during Scam Safe Week highlighting the need for public awareness in combating financial deception.
