Man Fakes $24K Deal For Pokémon Card While Inside NJ Police Station, Authorities Say

EVESHAM, NJ — A 26-year-old man from Philadelphia was charged after he used fake currency to buy a $24,200 Pokémon card, the Evesham Township Police Department said.

Christian Elam was charged with third-degree theft by deception and second-degree computer-related theft.

In June, the Department was contacted by a person who said they sold the card after arranging the deal through Facebook Marketplace.

The transaction was carried out in the Department's "Safe Exchange Zone" within the lobby of Police Headquarters.

Elam used fake cryptocurrency to pay for the card, officials said.

Evesham Police collaborated with Homeland Security and Elam was taken into custody when he got back from being overseas for an undisclosed reason.

He is being held in the Burlington County Jail to await court hearings.

The Evesham Township Police Department Safe Exchange Zone is used for online marketplace deals to provide a well-lit, vide0-monitored site for on-site transactions to be handled.

Payments should be verified independently prior to conducting the swap. Police do not take part in the transactions.

Deals involving weapons, drugs, or drug paraphernalia are not allowed.

The Zone is located in the Police Headquarters lobby at 984 Tuckerton Rd. It is available 24 hours a day, with parking in the department's lot, which is also under video surveillance.

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