As Professor Oak once said, the world of Pokémon is full of amazing creatures. Throughout the eight generations, players and fans have been introduced to a variety of different creatures, locations, and characters. Pokémon is, today, one of the most lucrative franchises of all time and it has expanded into various segments of our daily lives.

The anime is by far the most popular aspect of the franchise, but fans will know that there are video games, live-action movies, various merchandise, and a trading card game that is one of the most popular trading card games in the world, and it seems that this fact is being used in a very strange way.

Namely, according to a report by Shunkan Gendai Online, Japanese criminals are using Pokémon cards to launder money, which is a very interesting story that we wanted to share with you, so, if you want to know more, keep reading our report!

As said, the Pokémon Trading Card Game has become so valuable that criminal organizations are reportedly using it to launder money. A former crime boss shared with Shunkan Gendai Online that his group used Pokémon cards to move stolen cash overseas.

The cards, small enough to fit in a wallet, are worth so much that they’re easy to transport and trade internationally. Some rare Pokémon cards have sold for more than $5 million, while others can be worth hundreds of dollars or more.

These syndicates know how to spot valuable cards. The ones that fetch the highest prices often have special shiny foiling. Advanced tools, like metal detectors, can detect the foil from outside a pack, and sensitive scales can pick up the weight difference.

This means criminals can buy large numbers of card packs, search for the expensive ones, and then sell the rest at their original price. This way, they can turn illegal money into legitimate assets.

Criminals aren’t just using Pokémon cards for money laundering; they’re also stealing them. In Tokyo, there were more Pokémon card thefts in the second half of 2022 than ever before.

Pokémon cards and crime have a long history. From theft to money laundering, criminals have been drawn to the game’s popularity. With some cards worth more than luxury items, it’s no surprise that crime syndicates are getting involved. But it’s not just the big criminals—small-time thieves are also getting in on the action. Trading cards are an easy target because their value often goes unnoticed until after they’re stolen.

So, while we might be used to hearing about Pokémon cards in terms of gameplay or collecting, it turns out the stakes are much higher than we realized. Pokémon cards, once a fun hobby, are now involved in some very serious criminal activity.

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