Part 1/10:
The Curious Case of the Pokémon Card Pandemic Scam
Introduction: A Peculiar Use of Relief Funds
In a bizarre story that surfaced during the COVID-19 relief scam investigations, a man from Dublin, Georgia, found himself charged with wire fraud after revealing he used over two-thirds of his coronavirus relief loan—specifically, an $85,000 economic injury disaster loan (EIDL)—to purchase a single, rare Pokémon card. This revelation has sparked widespread amusement and bewilderment, casting a spotlight on the extreme ways some individuals attempted to exploit government aid during the pandemic.