Federal Authorities Bust Multi-Million Dollar Epic & Ikon Pass Fraud Scheme

Federal prosecutors have dismantled a massive, multi-year fraud operation that allegedly swindled millions of dollars from ski resorts and snow sports enthusiasts across the country. The scheme, which focused primarily on the sale of fraudulent Epic and Ikon Passes, resulted in federal charges against two South Carolina residents.

The investigation, led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah in collaboration with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office, reveals a sophisticated operation that exploited the high demand for discounted access to elite ski destinations.

The indictment was filed in December 2025, prosecutors describe the scheme as spanning nearly four years and causing millions in losses to resorts, pass programs, and cardholders. The guilty plea by a co‑conspirator clarified the mechanics: purchases with stolen card data, resale through online listings, and use of cloned or fraudulently obtained digital credentials

The Mechanism of the Fraud

According to court documents, the scheme ran from November 2020 through May 2024. The perpetrators targeted skiers and snowboarders through online marketplaces like KSL Classifieds, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace, offering "exclusive discounts" on season passes.

The fraud followed a specific, highly effective pattern:

1. Advertising: Scammers posted ads for significantly discounted passes.

2. Data Collection: When a buyer responded, the scammers collected the buyer’s real personal information (name, address, photo) under the guise of "processing" the pass.

3. The Theft: Using stolen credit card information, the scammers purchased legitimate passes at full price from official portals like Vail Resorts (Epic) or Alterra Mountain Company (Ikon).

4. The Payout: The buyer would pay the scammers a "discounted" rate via peer-to-peer apps like Venmo, Zelle, PayPal, or Apple Cash.

The buyers initially received functional passes, but once the original credit card owners noticed the fraudulent charges and filed chargebacks, the resorts revoked the passes, leaving the skiers stranded at the ticket window.

According to court documents, beginning in November 2020 and continuing through May 2024, Greene worked with others to obtain money by fraudulently selling “discounted” Ikon and Epic ski and snowboard passes, as well as individual resort passes. Ikon passes are offered through Alterra Mountain Company and allow access to winter resorts worldwide, including the following Utah locations: Deer Valley, Solitude Mountain, Brighton, Alta Ski Area, Snowbird, and Snowbasin. Epic passes, offered through Vail Resorts, Inc. likewise offer access to resorts throughout the world, including Park City. None of these resorts authorized Greene to sell “discounted” passes.

As part of the scheme, Greene and her coconspirators advertised “discounted” passes through targeted online postings in locations where ski resorts are located, including Utah. When individuals would respond to the advertisements, Greene communicated with them online and via text to gather necessary information, including names and addresses, for the purchase of ski passes. Once personal information was collected, Greene would use different bank card information to purchase ski passes at full price, knowing that bank card information was stolen and did not belong to the individuals to whom she was selling the “discounted” ski passes.

Upon purchase of the full price ski passes with the stolen cards, Greene would communicate again with the “discounted” ski pass purchasers to secure and direct payment through electronic platforms such as Venmo, PayPal, Zelle, and Apple Pay. Greene then took the money and deposited it directly into her and her coconspirators’ accounts.

“This multi-year, multimillion-dollar scheme not only victimized Utah ski resorts, skiers and snowboarders, and individuals whose bank card information was stolen, but could impact the trust of snow enthusiasts who seek passes annually to visit our resorts,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “Fraud in any form will not be tolerated, and it is my priority to continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute the individuals involved and seek justice for the victims.”

“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s mission includes defending the nation’s mail system from illegal use. Postal Inspectors investigate those who utilize the U.S. Mail to carry out fraud schemes for their own financial gain. I thank the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office for their partnership in this case,” said Glen Henderson, Inspector in Charge of the Phoenix Division.

“The Salt Lake County Sheriff’s office is committed to working and partnering with our federal agencies to ensure cases of this magnitude are investigated and the accused are held accountable for the crimes they committed,” said Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera. “This is the largest case of fraud that the Sheriff’s office has investigated since reinstating our Law Enforcement Bureau.”

This case is being investigated jointly by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

The Suspects and Legal Action

Jamilla Greene, 34, of Fort Mill, South Carolina, pleaded guilty on December 10, 2025, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. She faces up to 20 years in prison and is scheduled for sentencing on February 24, 2026.

Her alleged co-conspirator, Jonathan Rembert, 41, has been indicted on multiple counts, including:

• Conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud
• Possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices
• Aggravated identity theft

"This multi-year, multimillion-dollar scheme not only victimized Utah ski resorts, skiers and snowboarders, and individuals whose bank card information was stolen, but could impact the trust of snow enthusiasts," said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak.

Impacted Resorts

The fraud hit many of Utah’s premier destinations particularly hard, including:

• Epic Pass: Park City Mountain Resort.

• Ikon Pass: Deer Valley, Solitude, Brighton, Alta, Snowbird, and Snowbasin.

Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera called it the largest fraud case her office has investigated since reinstating its Law Enforcement Bureau, noting that the scale of the chargebacks caused significant financial disruption to local resort operations.

Detailed timeline with court dates and filings

• Early red flags and consumer complaints — Early 2022–2024: Resorts, pass holders and banks began reporting unusual chargebacks and suspicious “discounted” listings for Epic and Ikon passes; payment processors flagged clusters of high‑value purchases that did not match account histories, prompting preliminary inquiries by resort security and local law enforcement.
• Multiagency investigation launched — 2024: State police, resort security teams and federal investigators opened a coordinated probe to trace online listings, payment flows and resale channels used to move fraudulently obtained passes into the secondary market.
• Grand jury indictment returned; initial federal filings — Dec. 1, 2025: A federal grand jury in the District of Utah returned an indictment charging at least one defendant with conspiracy to commit wire fraud; court dockets show an initial appearance and arraignment followed the indictment, and prosecutors signalled the investigation’s multi‑year scope in filings.
• U.S. Attorney’s Office press release and formal charges — Dec. 10, 2025: The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Utah issued a public press release announcing an indictment of a South Carolina man accused of selling millions of dollars’ worth of “discounted” ski and snowboard passes, naming the defendant and outlining the alleged scheme in the charging documents.
• Guilty plea and related court filings — Mid‑December 2025: A co‑defendant, identified in media reports as a South Carolina woman, pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy and admitted using stolen card data to buy full‑price passes and resell them; plea papers and minutes from the hearing reflect prosecutors’ intent to seek forfeiture of proceeds and recommend restitution to victims.

Key filings include the grand jury indictment, the U.S. Attorney’s press release summarizing charges, and the guilty plea memorandum that outlines admitted conduct and proposed forfeiture/restoration steps. Sentencing dates were not finalized in the public docket at the time of reporting; prosecutors indicated they will continue forensic accounting and may file additional charges as they trace funds and identify co‑conspirators.

Representatives for major pass programs said they cooperated with investigators and have systems in place to detect and deactivate fraudulent credentials. Resorts emphasized that legitimate passes are issued through secure channels and urged customers to purchase only from official websites or authorized retailers.

Several resorts announced temporary measures to tighten verification at lift gates and to offer assistance to customers who may have been defrauded, including guidance on disputing charges and reporting fraudulent sellers.