Former ESPN Sioux Falls host Jeff Thurn has been indicted on five counts of wire fraud for allegedly stealing millions from investors in a ticket resale business.
Court documents reveal Thurn ran a fictitious ticket-buying business from 2015 to 2022 and told investors he could get certain profits by selling tickets on the secondary market, per KELO TV in Sioux Falls. According to investigators, Thurn defrauded investors of more than $5 million during the seven years.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Thurn provided guarantees to investors about how much profit would be distributed and allegedly provided fake receipts to prove he had bought the tickets that were actually counterfeit. Authorities claim Thurn used the money for sports betting, gambling, and cryptocurrency purposes.
After being released on a $100,000 bail, Thurn is scheduled to reappear in court on Wednesday, January 17th. After originally appearing at the federal courthouse in Sioux Falls, the case has been transferred to Florida due to one of the alleged victims living in the Miami area.
If convicted, Thurn is facing up to 20 years in prison and a $10 million fine.
Earlier this year, Jeff Thurn departed ESPN Sioux Falls after more than a decade to focus on his national role with ESPN Radio. He hosted Overtime from 11 AM-1 PM in Sioux Falls. He joined ESPN Radio in a fill-in capacity in February 2022.
