Pokémon card worth $24,000 stolen using fake cryptocurrency in Marlton

A Philadelphia man has been charged after allegedly conducting a fraudulent cryptocurrency purchase for a valuable Pokémon card in Marlton.

After arranging the sale through Facebook Marketplace, Christian Elam, 26, allegedly met the victim at the Evesham Township Police Department Safe Exchange Zone, located in the lobby of police headquarters, Evesham police said in a statement posted to social media Monday.

Elam allegedly paid the victim for a Pokémon card worth $24,200 using cryptocurrency, which was later determined to be fraudulent, the department said.

Elam has been charged with third-degree theft by deception and second-degree computer-related theft. He is currently being held at the Burlington County Jail awaiting a pre-indictment hearing scheduled for Aug. 26, according to the court docket.

The police department is encouraging residents to continue taking advantage of the 24-hour safe transaction zone but to remain diligent about potential scams.

“While the zone provides a well-lit, video-monitored location for in-person exchanges, residents are reminded to independently verify payment before transferring property, especially when cryptocurrency, electronic payments, or high-value items are involved,” the department said.

Cyber-enabled crimes are on the rise across the United States. The Internet Crime Complaint Center received more than 1 million complaints in 2025, a 17% increase from the previous year, with total reported losses of nearly $21 billion, according to an April report from the FBI.

Cryptocurrency crimes are often the costliest, with more than 181,565 complaints totaling more than $11 billion in losses in 2025 alone.