Source: Jay L. Clendenin / Getty
One of the premier independent sneaker stores on the West Coast has found itself in legal trouble.
CoolKicks is known for its celebrity relationships and hooking up influencers with exclusive kicks, but that all came to a screeching halt when the Fairfax location was raided during a livestream earlier this week, reports KTLA.
While on a WhatNot giveaway stream, founder Adeel Shams thought his warehouse had been pranked and they were being swatted. However, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that officers from the Commercial Crimes Division executed a search warrant, detained four individuals, and confiscated dozens of pairs of Nike shoes.
Shams was arrested on a felony charge of receiving known stolen property and is scheduled to appear in the Los Angeles Superior Court on October 23. Court documents show that he was granted no bail and was released on his own recognizance after his arrest by the BUNCO/Forgery Division.
Late Friday night, CoolKicks released a statement, saying the raid was due to law enforcement believing a recent delivery they’d received was stolen goods, while calling the allegation a “shock to our entire team.”
The statement continues by refuting the narrative of them shooting down the stolen goods.
“Neither CoolKicks’ leadership nor our staff had any knowledge or reason to believe that these products were stolen. We entered into this purchase in good faith, as we always have, committed to running an honest business built on integrity and trust,” it reads. “It is important to clarify: there have been no allegations whatsoever from law enforcement that any of the products were counterfeit.”
The company thinks that with a thorough investigation, its reputation will remain untarnished.
The statement ends: “We are confident the truth will come out, and the trust we have worked so hard to earn will remain strong. We deeply regret the concern and inconvenience this situation may have caused. CoolKicks has always stood for honest business, and that commitment will never change.”
Social media has been abuzz with purported images of the location being surrounded by police and pallets of Nike boxes being shipped off, prompting people to rush to conclusions. See the reactions below.
