Man used COVID loan to buy Pokémon card, sentenced to prison

A Georgia man has been sentenced to 36 months in prison — three years — after using COVID-19 relief money to purchase a rare Charizard Pokémon card. In a Monday news release, the Department of Justice (DOJ), announced that the sentence was being carried out.

Vinath Oudomsine (31) was given an Economic Injury Disaster Loan of $85,000. The loan came after the man claimed that he owned a small business with 10 employees. These loans were created as part of Congress’ pandemic relief plan, and intended to be used for businesses to pay workers and rent.

Oudomsine was able to get the money. The DOJ however stated that Oudomsine used $57 789 of the money to buy a Charizard card in the first-edition with shadowless and holographic design. It has a 9.5 gem rating. For the same amount, a card with the same description was purchased at the PWCC market in December.

Dudley H. Bowen, a U.S. District Court Judge ordered Oudomsine also to pay $10,000 in addition to the $85,000 in damages and three years imprisonment. He will have three years of “supervised release” after the three years in prison. Oudomsine also has agreed to surrender the Charizard card to prosecutors.