canopus27

I don't believe that Adam's point was that any crime should result in a lifetime of punishment.

It was simply to refute the statement made earlier that unauthorized use of a 100% discount code "is not fraud and theft by definition."

In Marc Tacchi's case, a judge very clearly ruled that it was fraud and theft.

billdokes

Using a 100% Discount Code that wasn't expressly given to you to use is the same as finding a credit card on the sidewalk and using it buy a flight. It's fraud and theft plain and simple. There is no middle ground and I have no idea how this has warranted 107 (now 108) posts to get that simple point across.

Adam Smith

Indeed. And while I don't know the man, he was a fugitive from justice in Canada for a few years, unable to return in the knowledge he would be arrested if he did so. I have heard from FTers who knew him (he was actually on here back in the day, long before I joined) that it wasn't very pleasant not being able to come home to see family, friends, etc, and I think the Canadian warrant may also have limited some of the places he was able to travel due to extradition treaties. So although he served no jail time, he pled guilty to a criminal offence and suffered significant consequences.

As far as how that case translates to the current mess, as far as I'm aware, Tacchi and the person at the mystery shopper firm (identified as "Mr. Hunt" in the Tacchi materials) were the only ones to face criminal charges (Mr. Hunt got a 9-month conditional sentence). But given the total amount of the theft was only identified as being over $90K (so probably less than $100K, and Tacchi was $36K of that plus), this probably hadn't spread very far.

In this case, it seems the code propagated far more broadly and there were probably a lot more tickets booked. AC may have a good case to go after whoever first shared the code, and anyone who abused it knowing where it had come from and that it was wrong to use it (I suspect Tacchi's sophistication as a traveller and his use of a fake name were aggravating factors in his case, because he very clearly knew what he was doing was wrong). But someone who saw it posted on Reddit or got it 6th hand through some random chain of connections may not have had enough knowledge or intent to go after them criminally. And if their tickets were cancelled, no real damage incurred by AC.

kangarooflyer88

That is supposing they can force Reddit to reveal the author of the post.

Jumper Jack

One of my friends were trying to get me book it, the minute I saw it was 100% coupon I noped out. I told him it's gonna get canceled too.. and morally it didn't felt right either.

His tickets were rightfully canceled last night.

Adam Smith

It's probable that the first person to share it was not the person who posted it on Reddit. The code was probably issued to an employee, vendor, or someone else AC was legitimately providing with free travel for some reason or another, and AC probably knows who had access to that code.