A Queens man is facing federal charges after it was claimed he masterminded two armed robberies of Pokémon trading cards at multiple New York stores.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York revealed in a press release on Thursday (May 28) that the value of the cards allegedly stolen by 28-year-old Andy David Palacios Ortiz is over $100,000.
Federal authorities allege that the first robbery happened at a collectible trading card store in Queens, New York on January 9, where multiple suspects stole cards and cash.
A second robbery happened five days later at a Pokémon store in Lower Manhattan, New York, involving multiple masked criminals who again stole cards and cash.
Officials claim that Palacios Ortiz was captured on camera inside the Lower Manhattan store a couple of days before the robbery where he can be seen taking photos or videos of what’s inside the display case.
"These alleged robberies were not simply thefts targeting collectibles — they were violent crimes that left victims fearing for their safety," ATF Special Agent in Charge Bryan DiGirolamo said in a statement.
"Gun violence is a threat to the safety and security of our neighborhoods, and Palacios now stands charged with serious federal crimes," added U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. "Would-be perpetrators should know: you cannot commit robberies against New Yorkers and get away with it."
Charges Palacios Ortiz is currently facing include one count of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of Hobbs Act robbery conspiracy.
The Southern District of New York is one of the country's most active federal prosecution offices for financial and organized crime cases. Its involvement signals that investigators treated the robbery series as a coordinated criminal operation rather than isolated incidents.
Pokémon cards can be worth a lot of money. Back in April, a man sold three Charizard cards and made nearly $41,000 at an auction that he used to cover his wedding costs.
