Federal Criminal Investigation Uncovers Alleged Nike Sample Theft Operation

Within the sneaker community, unreleased samples stand as some of the most sought after gems. With the recent boom in popularity of Nike Basketball’s LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant lines, fans and collectors often wonder how so many unreleased samples find their way to the online market, particularly in sizes that are not associated with promo pairs. A recent federal investigation appears to have figured out just that.

According to reports, a number of look see samples had been stolen internally from Nike in a large scale sneaker reselling operation. Former Nike employees Tung W. Ho and Kyle Yamaguchi held highly coveted product line manager positions while working for the company, thus allowing them to order sample pairs from Nike’s production factories in China. Investigations suggest that this access was heavily exploited, resulting in the order of numerous pairs of sample sneakers. According to The Smoking Gun, investigators seized 1,941 pairs of sneakers from Ho, some of which likely composed his personal collection, along with large amounts of cash. Following the reading of his Miranda rights, Ho “admitted that he had stolen several hundred pairs of Nike look see shoes and sold them in two different ways.” Ho sold roughly $15,000 worth of samples on eBay, while the majority of sample sneakers were allegedly peddled through Yamaguchi, his “middle man.”

A large amount of stolen sneakers were also reportedly sold directly to Jason Keating in Florida, who would then resell them to buyers across the US. According to federal court documents, this scheme had been going on for years. Because it is alleged that Keating knowingly bought and sold stolen goods, he was arrested on Wednesday and is accused of receipt of stolen property. Oregon Live reports that Ho and Yamaguchi have not been arrested, though an investigation is ongoing.

For sneakerheads, this sheds some light on the surplus of sample sneakers that have popped up online over the course of the last few years in sizes that are not typically associated with promo use. It also serves as a cautionary tale in regard to the ramifications that come from both buying and selling stolen goods.

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