Criminals Are Using Pokemon Trading Cards to Launder Money

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Summary

  • Some criminals in Japan are buying Pokemon cards in cash and then selling them overseas, making it look like all their money comes from lucky card pulls and not anything underhanded.
  • Pokemon cards are popular for laundering money because they’re small and easy to smuggle.
  • In 2023, a Pikachu card sold for over $300,000.

As a gamer with decades of Pokemon trading card game (PTCG) experience under my belt, I can’t help but feel a mix of nostalgia and disbelief upon hearing about the recent reports of organized crime syndicates using PTCG cards for money laundering. It’s like stepping into an episode of ‘Pokemon’ where Team Rocket is up to no good, but with a lot more real-world consequences.

The value of Pokemon Trading Card Game memorabilia has skyrocketed, with some criminal elements reportedly employing them for money laundering purposes. As the demand for rare finds has soared in recent times, certain cards have been fetching astronomical prices among enthusiastic collectors. This trend has grown to such an extent that organized crime groups are suspected of using Pokemon cards as a means to conceal the illicit sources of their funds.

With the resurgence of fond memories associated with Pokemon, so too has increased the amount people are ready to spend on scarce cards. Age isn’t always a determining factor, as new Pikachu EX cards have fetched thousands of dollars, although the worth of these newer items can be volatile. No matter the details, landing a good catch can result in a substantial profit nowadays, and such opportunities have not gone unnoticed by criminal groups.

As a passionate enthusiast, I’d like to share an intriguing tidbit: According to a former criminal boss, some crooks convert their ill-gotten gains into Pokemon cards! They buy these cards with cash and sell them abroad, creating the illusion that their money comes from lucky card draws instead of illicit activities. This allows them to deposit the funds in a bank and use it for legitimate transactions – something they can’t do directly with stolen money due to its questionable origin triggering red flags. Remarkably, this isn’t the first instance where criminal activities and gaming intertwine; back in 2019, investigators found that V-bucks from Fortnite were being used for money laundering as well.

Pokemon Cards’ Skyrocketing Value Makes Them a Prime Target for Criminals

It’s been reported that the popularity of Pokemon cards lies in their usefulness for money laundering due to factors such as their compact size, ease of concealment, and exceptionally high value in certain instances. Criminals can even locate items destined for a higher price before they open any packs. The rarest cards, like the one featuring Pikachu that fetched $300,000 in 2023, are holographic, making them heavier and susceptible to detection by advanced metal detectors. Weighing packs to identify holos is a common practice among collectors to determine a pack’s worth, but it now assists criminals in laundering their ill-gotten gains more effectively.

It’s not too shocking to learn that criminals are exploiting the value of Pokemon cards, given their significant secondary market value. Historically, this has led to a fair amount of crime. For instance, earlier in the year, a thief made off with a Charizard card worth $39,000; fortunately, the police were able to recover it and return it to its original owner. With prices continuing to rise, it’s only expected that some individuals might look to illicitly profit from these items.

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2024-12-17 22:08