A Ma Maniere AJ5 *** UPDATE *** Feds enter the chat

[sneakaprince]

I feel like an addict. I've bought from both Zadeh and Whitaker way too often in the past.

Don't feel bad fam if you are in this game deep enough to still be on niketalk and in threads like this there is a fairly likelihood you have been complicit or will complicit in some type of operation similar to this.

The mom and pop shops are basically done, everything is now direct from Nike or through a boutique. Nike has been known to push bad product on stores for ages. The stores have just evolved their methodology to get the product they want.

 

[Stink Linx]

Yea a lot of people talking out their *** without knowing how the shoe games work. Seems like James picked the wrong people to move with. Maybe he knew, maybe he didn't care enough to know, but the "HE WAS BACKDOORING!" crowd is just ignorant on how things work.

I wouldn’t say “ignorant” or “surprised” per se. ALL OF US had a feeling that ish was happening or some ppl had knowledge of it. We’re surprised it rose to the level of FBI raids and search warrants bc James came off as a genuine guy

 

[sneakaprince]

Hysterical that this happened with a partner that Nike gave such carte blanche to. After all of the collabs they gave him JW repays Nike by backdooring a majority of stock and evading taxes on it. Hard to believe that Nike didn’t have any idea that the backdooring was going on, but certain boutiques always get a pass. I imagine that this will have a significant effect on who Nike sells through moving forward.

If I recall TWG helped to set up Marcus Jordans store. They were basically given an elevated status after the fact, in fact I believe they got their collabs right after Marcus's store opened.


Marcus clearly still backdoors and gets collabs. I hope y'all got your pitchforks ready for MJs heir.

 

[sneakaprince]

I wouldn’t say “ignorant” or “surprised” per se. ALL OF US had a feeling that ish was happening or some ppl had knowledge of it. We’re surprised it rose to the level of FBI raids and search warrants bc James came off as a genuine guy

Now I ain't gon lie I didn't realize it was fraud to Backdoor and not claim the bread. I was hella ignorant to that lol.

 

[downyboy]

Don’t get it twisted. People have been back dooring for decades. His business was out there since day one and people didn’t want to believe it. Too many defended him over a few of these releases when it was no secret that he was pushing a ton of product through other channels.

Now the difference is it’s a fact AND he was committing FRAUD. No need to defend the guy. Call a spade a spade.

 

[dblplay1212]

Hysterical that this happened with a partner that Nike gave such carte blanche to. After all of the collabs they gave him JW repays Nike by backdooring a majority of stock and evading taxes on it. Hard to believe that Nike didn’t have any idea that the backdooring was going on, but certain boutiques always get a pass. I imagine that this will have a significant effect on who Nike sells through moving forward.

The problem is he got all of those collabs because of all of this. The amount of product they were moving is what earned them for them. Nike really needs to find a different way to award tier 0 bc the current method forced shops to get creative in how they move product. That's not excusing who James was working with, but all shops are moving products in ways other than just waiting for Joe to walk in the door to buy a pair.

 

[trappedintime]

Whitner responds:

The recent action by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina (USAO) comes after significant cooperation and good-faith negotiations on our part. To be clear, while we take the allegations in the complaint seriously, they are unfounded, unrelated to our business or this community and unjustified. Our professional inventory management team runs a transparent process built on systems that are both legally compliant and consistent with industry standards. We have also complied with all tax obligations annually.

We have been a staple of the global business community for over 20 years, operating over twenty locations and employing over 250 employees across the country. Our work has been dedicated to helping people of color tell their stories and build a legacy of excellence. That work is now under attack, despite our best efforts at productive engagement with the USAO.

We disagree with the USAO’s allegations concerning our business and remain appreciative of the extraordinary support our vendor partners have shown and continue to show throughout this process. Our success has made us an easy target caught in the middle of a U.S. financial and regulatory war with China of which we have no part in.

We look forward to defending our business and operating model while continuing to proudly serve the communities that have embraced us over the last 20 years. This complaint will not deter us from continuing to tell our stories and build a legacy of excellence and we will continue to vigorously defend our business and all that they contribute to culture, commerce and the community.

Social Status Archives

Where to buy Social Status shoes. Nice Kicks has release dates, prices, history, and where to find Social Status for sale.

www.nicekicks.com

 

[g-time]

If I recall TWG helped to set up Marcus Jordans store. They were basically given an elevated status after the fact, in fact I believe they got their collabs right after Marcus's store opened.


Marcus clearly still backdoors and gets collabs. I hope y'all got your pitchforks ready for MJs heir.

I thought ppl did go after Marcus? Especially with the trophy room 1s and ppl actually tracked him down at a hotel back dooring them lol.

 

[superblytrife]

Hysterical that this happened with a partner that Nike gave such carte blanche to. After all of the collabs they gave him JW repays Nike by backdooring a majority of stock and evading taxes on it. Hard to believe that Nike didn’t have any idea that the backdooring was going on, but certain boutiques always get a pass. I imagine that this will have a significant effect on who Nike sells through moving forward.

I don’t think this will have a big impact. Nike is in the business of making money. You really think they give a **** about backdooring?? They’ll put out some generic statement and then continue to turn a blind eye to the backdooring. At the end of the day, they’re not the ones who evaded taxes. They’re not the ones under IRS scrutiny.

They’ll go along with whatever nets them the most coins. Trust.

 

[dblplay1212]

Now I ain't gon lie I didn't realize it was fraud to Backdoor and not claim the bread. I was hella ignorant to that lol.

Yea that part never crossed my mind either. I guess I assumed they were invoicing it but Nike goes over books so man idk how all the paperwork works on it.

 

[g-time]

Whitner responds:

The recent action by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina (USAO) comes after significant cooperation and good-faith negotiations on our part. To be clear, while we take the allegations in the complaint seriously, they are unfounded, unrelated to our business or this community and unjustified. Our professional inventory management team runs a transparent process built on systems that are both legally compliant and consistent with industry standards. We have also complied with all tax obligations annually.

We have been a staple of the global business community for over 20 years, operating over twenty locations and employing over 250 employees across the country. Our work has been dedicated to helping people of color tell their stories and build a legacy of excellence. That work is now under attack, despite our best efforts at productive engagement with the USAO.

We disagree with the USAO’s allegations concerning our business and remain appreciative of the extraordinary support our vendor partners have shown and continue to show throughout this process. Our success has made us an easy target caught in the middle of a U.S. financial and regulatory war with China of which we have no part in.

We look forward to defending our business and operating model while continuing to proudly serve the communities that have embraced us over the last 20 years. This complaint will not deter us from continuing to tell our stories and build a legacy of excellence and we will continue to vigorously defend our business and all that they contribute to culture, commerce and the community.

Social Status Archives

Where to buy Social Status shoes. Nice Kicks has release dates, prices, history, and where to find Social Status for sale.

www.nicekicks.com

Didn’t the report say they have pics of the exchanges?

 

[g-time]

I don’t think this will have a big impact. Nike is in the business of making money. You really think they give a **** about backdooring?? They’ll put out some generic statement and then continue to turn a blind eye to the backdooring. At the end of the day, they’re not the ones who evaded taxes. They’re not the ones under IRS scrutiny.

They’ll go along with whatever nets them the most coins. Trust.

They’d probably take issue with who the product was given to considering what that person is tied up in.

 

[sneakaprince]

I thought ppl did go after Marcus? Especially with the trophy room 1s and ppl actually tracked him down at a hotel back dooring them lol.

Marcus has a Jordan 1 Collab coming out in Feb 2024. The people can do what they want Nike didn't seem to care.

 

[trappedintime]

Didn’t the report say they have pics of the exchanges?

They literally showed all $32M on a table. They have 3 years of surveillance on Jimmy and he’s throwing the procurement team under the bus.

 

[Stink Linx]

yall keep saying nike must have known or had knowledge or backdooring. I DISAGREE bc they (nike) dont have representatives in a store all the time or someone looking over the purchases of certain releases or all releases. Nike is willfully ignorant knowing that some people and/or stores are going to be bad apples. All nike cares about is that initial 6-month commitment up front.

Second: I wonder how if the fbi will be looking into the extraordinary shipping charges of the TWG and and trying to discern how much extra money was collected and profited bc you dont pay taxes on shipping

Another thing: some ppl complain about stores in general selling shoes for “higher” msrp. Any store in america is able to sell its products ABOVE retail price if they want.

 

[g-time]

Marcus has a Jordan 1 Collab coming out in Feb 2024. The people can do what they want Nike didn't seem to care.

Marcus is also the son of their biggest cash cow no? Would seem to be pretty easy to understand why they’d be ok with giving him more collabs.

 

[dblplay1212]

Jimmy

You calling him this is really really weird.

 

[Magic33]

Don't feel bad fam if you are in this game deep enough to still be on niketalk and in threads like this there is a fairly likelihood you have been complicit or will complicit in some type of operation similar to this.

The mom and pop shops are basically done, everything is now direct from Nike or through a boutique. Nike has been known to push bad product on stores for ages. The stores have just evolved their methodology to get the product they want.

No Yeezy's and kicks are now sitting. It's not becoming cheaper to pay the lease and employees. Plus, Nike wants your store to look a certain way according to their standards.

Nike basically forces these boutiques to backdoor in order to get a Nike account.

 

[sneakaprince]

Marcus is also the son of their biggest cash cow no? Would seem to be pretty easy to understand why they’d be ok with giving him more collabs.

Nah they could shut that **** down with even more immunity imo he don't need that bread. He could actually run a straight shop and still be tier 0. He chooses not to because of Greed.

 

[dblplay1212]

The fact that James hasn't been charged and said "We have also complied with all tax obligations annually." makes me think this may not be as awful as some are thinking.

 

[TexasDillo]

I feel like an addict. I've bought from both Zadeh and Whitaker way too often in the past.

Same here. Had better service with Z tbh though. TWG would take forever to ship

 

[Stink Linx]

The problem is he got all of those collabs because of all of this. The amount of product they were moving is what earned them for them. Nike really needs to find a different way to award tier 0 bc the current method forced shops to get creative in how they move product. That's not excusing who James was working with, but all shops are moving products in ways other than just waiting for Joe to walk in the door to buy a pair.

EXACTLY!!!

Like ol dude @dblplay1212said, every boutique backdoors anything they can to stay afloat. Look at…

Oneness Boutique is another 1 who rose to fame out of nowhere after being a tier 2-1 account for many years in the hella small shop they used to have.

Union is another Tier 0 account who backdoors

Wish ATL

There are hella others

 

[sneakaprince]

No Yeezy's and kicks are now sitting. It's not becoming cheaper to pay the lease and employees. Plus, Nike wants your store to look a certain way according to their standards.

Nike basically forces these boutiques to backdoor in order to get a Nike account.

I remember the last SB golden era. A lot of shops actually started under because of those fat *** Nike bills. They needed the SBs to get people in the door but it came at a cost and not everybody was buying P-rods etc.

The boutiques actually have it better because it's not such a niche product imo.

 

[g-time]

Nah they could shut that **** down with even more immunity imo he don't need that bread. He could actually run a straight shop and still be tier 0. He chooses not to because of Greed.

But they’re not because he’s Jordan’s son and because of Greed as well. It works hand in hand.

 

[Public Enemy]

The fact that James hasn't been charged and said "We have also complied with all tax obligations annually." makes me think this may not be as awful as some are thinking.

It's the feds man. Even if the statement is correct, and they're just taking the fall because the US/China regulatory war the statement speaks of, they'll still take that fall. From what I've seen in fed cases over the years, once things get announced, it's a wrap.