Local

Disney files lawsuits against people allegedly selling bogus tickets

ORLANDO, Fla. — Disney Enterprises, Inc., filed three lawsuits Thursday in United States District Court against people who allegedly have sold fake tickets to the theme park.

One of them, Elena Tarano, of Orlando, was arrested three times in the past year for allegedly selling already-used tickets to Disney as well as Universal Orlando Resort.
In the suit, Disney alleges copyright and trademark infringement.
“There’s too much of it going around and I think it should be dealt with by the authorities,” said visitor Michael Randall, of Texas.
Tarano runs a ticket shop along International Drive near Sand Lake Road in Orange County.  That is where she has done the illegal business, Disney said in the suit.  The shop was closed Sunday when WFTV stopped by.
Disney claims it suffered losses from the scheme by Tarano:  “[She] has obtained gains, profit, and advantages as a result of wrongful acts,” the suit states.
It goes on to say Tarano’s illegal business has negatively affected Disney’s image. 
“Defendant’s marketing, advertising, distribution, sale or offer for sale of Invalid Multi-day Passes bearing the Disney Trademarks in Florida and in interstate commerce has and will cause likelihood of confusion, deception and mistake in that the buying public will conclude that the Invalid Multi-day Passes sold by Tarano are authorized, approved, or associated with Disney.”
Disney also slapped Tahir Ansari, Dabeyba Fraketti and Jeffrey Almiron with similar lawsuits filed separately.
Court paperwork alleges they run ticket shops in Orange and Osceola counties that also sell fake tickets.
When WFTV showed up at a ticket booth along International Drive—that Ansari apparently owns—a worker shut the door, closed the blinds and covered a window with a piece of cardboard.