A viral video blowing up online is exposing a messy web of alleged ticket fraud involving influencers — and the internet is absolutely loving the drama.
The glitter and glamour of Coachella weekend one have been overshadowed by a high-stakes “scam” involving a group of high-profile influencers, thousands of dollars in missing cash and allegations of robbery.
The drama, which has set TikTok ablaze, centers on a group of influencers who claim they were fleeced by their own “friends” in a messy battle over the festival’s most coveted accessory: the Artist Pass — ultra-exclusive credentials typically reserved for performers and their inner circles.
The controversy began when Aioni Cobia took to TikTok alongside her friend, Mia LoCastro, to call out fellow creators Chloe Rosenbaum, her boyfriend Ryan Manick, Keston Wolf and Parys Townsend — claiming they duped her out of festival bands.
The video, which was posted a few days ago, has already amassed over 5 million views, and has been widely re-posted and discussed throughout various corners of the internet.
According to Cobia and LoCastro, they were part of a large group chat organized by Rosenbaum to secure discounted tickets through a “connection.”
The influencers reportedly shelled out $2,700 each for “Artist” wristbands — the gold standard of Coachella access that provides stage-side views and golf cart transport. Meanwhile, Manik and others in the group opted for the cheaper $1,200 VIP passes.
But when the festival began last Friday, the Coachella dream weekend turned into a desert nightmare. Rosenbaum allegedly told the group that they had been scammed by the third party vendor, who she had initially vouched for, and that now no bands were available.
Already on the grounds, Cobia and LoCastro spent thousands of dollars more on replacement tickets to get in to the festival. When they got back to LA on Monday, the plot thickened. Cobia texted the shady vendor who she had paid for the passes and demanded a refund, only to be told that he had dropped off said passes for Saturday and Sunday and had given them to Rosenbaum and her “group.”
Allegedly, only Rosenbaum had actually shelled out nearly $3k for the passes.
“They stole our artist bracelets,” Cobia claimed in the viral video, pointing out that while people like Manik only paid for VIP, he was suddenly seen backstage with the more exclusive green-tagged Artist pass with a lower case “a” on them.
Now, the scandal is spilling onto Reddit — where users are tearing into everyone involved.
On a thread in the r/LAinfluencersnark subreddit, commenters claimed the alleged scammers were “known” for shady behavior, with one user warning, “Ryan Manick is a known scammer” and questioning why anyone would trust him in the first place.
Rosenbaum eventually broke her silence, calling the situation a “mix-up” and labeling the public outcry “childish.” She has since received hundred of comments on her Instagram from people calling her a thief and a scammer.
She maintained that she was also a victim of the scam and claimed everyone eventually got into the festival, so it “wasn’t that deep.”
As it stands, Cobia and LoCastro claim to have received only a partial refund.
While the ferris wheel has stopped spinning for Coachella 2026, the social media circus is just getting started.
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