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.
Pokemon Trading Card Game collectibles have become so valuable that criminals are reportedly using them to launder money. The secondary market for rare pulls has exploded in recent years, leading some cards to fetch outlandish prices from dedicated collectors. The trend has grown so big that crime syndicates are now apparently using Pokemon cards to hide the illegal origins of their money.
As Pokemon nostalgia has climbed, so have the prices people are willing to pay for rare cards. They don’t always need to be old, either, as new Pikachu EX cards have sold for thousands of dollars, though the value of these newer options tends to fluctuate. Regardless of the specifics, getting a decent pull can make people a handsome sum today, and criminal organizations have taken note.
Related
Over $1 Million Worth of Pokemon Cards Allegedly Stolen
A trading card shop faces a horrible situation not once but twice, with over a staggering $1 million worth of Pokemon TCG cards stolen.
Japanese news publication Shūkan Gendai cited a former crime organization leader who said that many criminals convert stolen money into Pokemon cards. By buying cards in cash and then selling them overseas, they can make it look like all their money comes from lucky card pulls, not anything nefarious. Criminals can then transfer the money to a bank and use it for seemingly legitimate purchases, something they can’t do directly with stolen funds because their unclear origin would raise red flags. Interestingly, this isn’t the first crossover between financial crime and gaming, as investigators discovered people were using Fortnite V-bucks for money laundering back in 2019.
Pokemon Cards’ Skyrocketing Value Makes Them a Prime Target for Criminals
Pokemon cards are reportedly so popular for laundering money because they’re small, easy to smuggle, and, most importantly, ridiculously valuable in certain cases. Criminals can also find items that will likely sell for more before they open any packs. The most valuable cards, like the Pikachu card that sold for $300,000 in 2023, are holographic, making them heavier and detectable by sensitive metal detectors. Weighing packs to find holos is a common way for collectors to judge a pack’s worth before buying or selling it, but now it’s helping criminals launder their illicit funds more efficiently.
The news that criminals are capitalizing on Pokemon cards is not entirely surprising. These collectibles’ high secondary value has inspired plenty of crime in the past. Earlier this year, a thief stole a $39,000 Charizard card, though police were able to find and return it to its rightful owner. As prices keep climbing, it’s only natural that some people will hope to take advantage of these items through illegal means.
Pokemon TCG
Pokemon TCG (Trading Card Game) is a collectible and strategy based card game based on Nintendo’s Pokemon franchise. Two players face off against one another, battling one Pokemon at a time and attempting to knock them out to claim one of six prize cards. The cards have also become highly collectible with some in particular selling for thousands of dollars.
- Original Release Date
- October 20, 1996