If you're going to dupe a man into buying fake NCAA tournament tickets, verify that he's not a Division I track star before you try to outrun him.
A 20-year-old finance major at Columbia—who asked not to be identified—rather foolishly bought a pair of tickets to the Sweet Sixteen double header at MSG on Craigslist for only $210 each, a suspiciously low price for seats netting an average of $900 a pop, the Post reports.
“I have never been to Madison Square Garden,” the naive but very fast student told the tabloid. “So I was really looking forward to it.”
He met the alleged crook outside the stadium to collect his "tickets," only to be told at the door that he'd been scammed. Unwilling to accept that he'd been had, the student again called up the suspect, identified as 23-year-old Lionel Moye, feigning interest in buying more tickets. When the two met for the second time, the student confronted Moye, who attempted to flee. The speedy student gave chase.
It took the athlete a staggering 17 blocks to catch Moye, which does seem like a lot for a "track star." Then again, the Post does not specify the student's role on the team, or whether he's even a runner at all—shot putters can be track stars, too.
The story ends with Moye getting caught at West 50th Street, with the help of a pedestrian who Moye allegedly also bit during the fracas. He's been charged with possession of a forged instrument, as well as assault for the bite.
