As reported by Polygon, 31-year-old Vinath Oudomsine posed as a small business owner to get an $85,000 loan in the event of an economic disaster, and then spent the maximum on the card.
The first edition, Shadowless Holographic Charizard (Super Rare, Super Brilliant) was purchased for $57,789 in December and has now been delivered to the state.
Oudomsine pleaded guilty to fraud and was sentenced to 3 years in prison, then 3 years of “supervised release” and will also have to pay a fine of $10,000 in addition to the loan repayment.
FBI Acting Special Agent in Atlanta Philip Wislar said: “COVID-19 crisis relief loans are provided through the government to help businesses suffering during a pandemic, not for trivial collectibles. This phrase highlights the FBI’s commitment to aggressively prosecute anyone who abuses taxpayer money and diverts it from citizens who desperately want it.
This is the only recent crime similar to Pokémon cards: Someone allegedly broke the wall of an independent game store in Minnesota last month and stole about $250,000 worth of goods.
The thief is said to have emptied two garage rooms containing other pieces of Pokémon cards, adding booster packs of more than $100 each.
An incident also occurred in Tokyo last year when a man allegedly used a rope to go into a store and borrow Pokémon cards and cash.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who remembers tweeting @thelastdinsdale.