When Live Nation Entertainment reached a tentative settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice this week, it looked like a legal headache was winding down. But newly released court documents tell a far more eyebrow-raising story: internal messages between two Live Nation employees bragging about “price gouging” fans, “robbing them blind,” and calling ticket buyers “so stupid” for paying inflated fees.

The messages come from a 2022 Slack conversation between two regional ticketing directors working for Live Nation venues: Ben Baker and Jeff Weinhold. Their chat centered on the ever-expanding world of “ancillary fees,” the add-ons that creep in around a concert ticket, like parking or lawn chair rentals.

According to court records first reported by Bloomberg, Baker wrote that “these people are so stupid” for paying such high fees. Weinhold mentioned that VIP parking at one show had been priced as high as $250 for a single spot. Baker’s response: “I almost feel bad taking advantage of them.”

Almost.

In another exchange, Baker bragged about charging “$50 to park in the grass” and “$60 for closer grass.” Then he added the line that’s already making the rounds in music industry group chats: “Robbing them blind, baby. That’s how we do it.”

Live Nation had previously tried to keep those exchanges out of the antitrust trial altogether. Lawyers for the Justice Department argued the messages offered a rare, unfiltered look at how some insiders thought about pricing. Presiding judge Aran Subramanian agreed, ordering the documents released in full.

For its part, Live Nation quickly distanced itself from the tone of the conversation. In a recent statement, a company representative said the messages didn’t reflect how the company actually operates:

“The Slack exchange from one junior staffer to a friend absolutely doesn’t reflect our values or how we operate. Because this was a private Slack message, leadership learned of this when the public did, and will be looking into the matter promptly.”

The statement continued: “Our business only works when fans have great experiences, which is why we’ve capped amphitheater venue fees at 15% and have invested $1 billion in the last 18 months into U.S. venues and fan amenities.”

Baker, who most recently served as head of ticketing for Live Nation’s Venue Nation division, had been expected to testify during the antitrust trial. Weinhold currently works as a senior ticketing director in the Washington, D.C., area, according to reporting from The New York Times.

The broader legal battle isn’t over yet. Monday’s tentative settlement between Live Nation and the Justice Department resolved one piece of the case, a challenge that at one point threatened to force the company to separate from its ticketing powerhouse subsidiary, Ticketmaster.

But the fight continues elsewhere. Twenty-seven states, including New York, California, and Colorado, are still pursuing their own lawsuits filed alongside the federal case.

For concertgoers, the takeaway is clear: while Live Nation touts fan-friendly policies and venue upgrades, these messages offer a glimpse of the profit-first mindset lurking behind the scenes. As the company navigates settlements and ongoing state lawsuits, fans are left staring at ticket prices and add-ons with a little more skepticism, and maybe a lot less trust.