Blake Martinez entered the NFL as a 4th-round pick in the 2016 Draft by the Packers, he also played for the Giants and Raiders before retiring at age 28.
The NFL linebacker Martinez retired from professional football in 2022, since then he had decided to venture into the world of card trading after his retirement.
Report: Former NFL LB Blake Martinez has reportedly been permanently banned from reselling Pokémon cards on Whatnot over scamming collectors, according to @Dexerto
Statement from Whatnot: "After a comprehensive investigation into Blakesbreaks’ operations we have decided to… https://t.co/EwLWqQqGfQ pic.twitter.com/KBhAdqxraC
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) August 5, 2023
Martinez managed to establish a successful business named “Blakesbreaks,” whose operation is reselling rare and sought-after Pokémon TCG cards.
As reported, in less than a year, his company amassed a staggering $11.5 million in revenue, capturing both Pokémon enthusiasts and collectors.
The Blake’s Breaks channel on Whatnot streamed 16 hours per day and had nearly 20 full-time employees as of last month.
Update: Former #Packers, #Giants, #Raiders LB Blake Martinez made $11.5 million selling #Pokemon cards and employs nearly 20-full time staffers in his company, according to @zkeefer
One Pikachu Illustrator card alone netted $672,000 at auction for Martinez, while another went… pic.twitter.com/koFUJcRrDU
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) July 15, 2023
However, according to the latest updates he has been banned from the online marketplace Whatnot for allegedly scamming buyers, the company announced Friday.
Whatnot, an online marketplace, has reportedly been permanently banned for his alleged involvement in scamming Pokemon Trading Card Game (TCG) collectors.
It escalated when reports from numerous community members on Whatnot raised concerns about Martinez’s activities within the platform, as per sources.
Martinez had spoken on one scam allegation after one of his employees was captured on screen using sleight-of-hand tricks on a stream. As for the ban, he has yet to be commented on.
He said on the previous scam,
“I know people that come in here and spend their hard-earned money that they could spend elsewhere, and I want this to be a safe space. I’m definitely going to take this as a learning experience, and I’m going to make an improvement.”
