Former Des Moines sports talk personality Marty Tirrell is facing new legal trouble after being indicted on 11 federal counts of wire fraud tied to what prosecutors describe as a fraudulent ticket-flipping scheme.
According to The Des Moines Register, the indictment — filed Oct. 16 — alleges Tirrell persuaded investors to give him money for a luxury ticket resale business. Promising lucrative returns on high-demand events such as Taylor Swift concerts, U.S. Open tennis matches, and playoff games across multiple sports. Instead, prosecutors say, Tirrell used much of the money for personal expenses and gambling.
The new charges come less than two years after Tirrell completed a federal prison sentence for mail fraud. In 2021, he was sentenced to nearly three and a half years behind bars after admitting to another ticket investment scam. He was released under federal supervision in early 2023.
Court documents show that from February 2024 through January of this year. Tirrell, now 65, pitched investors on financing blocks of tickets for resale. He allegedly promised to repay their initial investment plus a share of profits once the tickets were sold. While some early payments were made, prosecutors contend that those funds came not from legitimate ticket sales, but from new investors and other unrelated sources.
In total, four investors identified in the indictment reportedly lost more than $1.5 million combined. Each of the 11 counts corresponds to a separate wire transfer allegedly sent to Tirrell.
Known during his broadcasting career as “The Mouth of the Midwest,” Tirrell built a name — and reputation — in Des Moines sports radio through stints at several local outlets, including iHeartMedia’s KXNO. His volatile on-air personality became part of his brand, but also part of his undoing. Tirrell was fired from KXNO after a profanity-laced rant aired live on a hot mic.
In recent years, Tirrell attempted to rebuild his media footprint through a venture called Tea Room Broadcasting, which reportedly operated both a podcast and radio outlet. Prosecutors allege he used the company’s bank account to conduct the wire transfers central to the case.
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