$2 Million Cargo Theft Ring Involved Nike Employees at Memphis Warehouse
PublishedQuick Facts
- A new federal indictment alleges 12 individuals were involved in a theft ring
- Some of the named individuals include notable resellers and Nike warehouse employees
- Check below for full details on the case
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Theft in the sneaker world has been a topic of discussion for years. But throughout the 2020s, organizations have really cracked down on cargo theft across the globe, resulting in some wild stories involving millions of dollars in stolen sneakers. The latest story comes out of Memphis, Tennessee, one of Nike’s major shipping hubs, where 12 people were indicted on federal charges. Among the dozen included in the indictment were employees at Nike’s distribution center and one of the co-owners of Cool Kicks.
The Alleged Scheme
In the lawsuit, the US government alleges that a group of people outside of Nike were identifying Nike products they wanted, and would conspire with employees inside Nike’s North American Logistics Center in Memphis to redirect products to them. These employees would place UPS labels on the specific cartons of sneakers the group wanted, so when they were picked up by UPS, they appeared as a normal shipment. Once the stolen shoes were received, they were resold through resale shops and marketplaces like GOAT and StockX. Prosecutors claim this operation began at least in July 2021 and continued through June 19, 2024.
Who’s Named in The Suit
The main culprit in the suit is Roy Harvey Jr, who was previously arrested by the LAPD in 2024 in a theft ring involving stolen Nike sneakers. Prosecutors say he was creating shipping labels and providing them to the employees inside the Nike warehouse.
Another individual named Keith Cannon is alleged to have created shipping labels through a UPS business account and received money connected to the shipment of these stolen sneakers. Cadarian Mack is alleged to have sold some of the stolen sneakers on StockX and GOAT.
Multiple Nike employees were also named in the suit, including Marquesio Robinson, who worked at a Nike Employee Store and sent money to both Cannon and Harvey, and Michael Perkins, a floor manager at the Nike warehouse in Memphis, who allegedly brought the UPS labels into the facility and distributed them to employees.
Julian Baker, Cortez Spencer, Roderico McClellan, and Damon Johnson are also named in the suit, allegedly involved as they work in the Memphis warehouse and are accused of placing the generated shipping labels on packages.
Three sneaker resellers round out the 12 indicted in the lawsuit, including Joel Deluna, owner of Chicago Emporium, Bereket Abraham, co-owner of CoolKicks, and Jorge Cuellar, owner of Horhead Investments. The three are alleged to have bought stolen shoes, with Deluna and Abraham also facing allegations of supplying UPS labels.
The Charges
All twelve named in the suit are being charged with conspiracy to transport, transmit, and transfer stolen goods in interstate commerce, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371. The indictment alleges that the twelve “did knowingly, intentionally and unlawfully conspire and agree together” to transport stolen Nike retail products valued at $5,000 or more from Memphis to locations around the United States. This carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison and/or a fine of up to $250,000.
The second count listed is Transportation, transmission, or transfer of stolen goods in interstate commerce, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2314, and aiding and abetting under 18 U.S.C. § 2, and applies only to Roy Harvey Jr. He’s being accused of unlawfully transporting stolen products from Memphis to LA, with the maximum penalty being up to 10 years in prison and/or a fine of $250,000.
Prosecutors are seeking a forfeiture judgment of at least $2 million, and if this cannot be recovered from the defendants, the government will potentially seize other assets belonging to the defendants up to the same value.
What’s Next
Since this is an indictment, this is only a formal accusation from the federal government against the 12 defendants, and no evidence has been presented or made public. We’ll have to wait and see post-arraignment how each defendant pleads, and whether this case actually makes it to trial. For more updates on the case and more in the sneaker world, download the Sole Retriever mobile app.
Sneakerhead from South Florida who turned his passion into a career. When not writing for Sole Retriever, I enjoy watching films and discovering music. Follow me on Letterboxd @nickvlah For tips, reviews, or any shoes in a size 13, email nick@soleretriever.com
