James Whitner Concedes $1.2 Million in Alleged Retail Scheme

James Whitner, founder of sneaker retailer the Whitaker Group, which includes popular boutiques A Ma Maniera and Social Stauts, has failed to file a claim for nearly $1.2 million in cash that was seized by prosecutors in an alleged money-laundering operation.

The news of Whitner giving up the money was first reported by Charlotte, NC-based news station WSOCTV.

An entry of default was filed on Tuesday in North Carolina district court, confirming that the $1,199,530 in cash seized in the apartment of Whitner’s friend, Antwain Freeman, around Aug. 17, 2021, has now been forfeited to the US.

Per court documents, the government reached out from Nov. 18, 2023 through Dec. 17, 2023, to Whitner, Flava Factory, Jaizai Investments, and Trois Investments to claim the money. Whitner and his team asked for an extension on filing a claim four separate times, but the final deadline to claim the currency passed on Sept. 13, 2024.

It was also confirmed in the filing that “the government has conferred with counsel for Mr. Whitner and his businesses and understands that they do not intend to submit a claim in this matter.”

Back in November 2023, a civil complaint was filed alleging Whitner, one of Nike’s top collaboration partners, had resold millions of dollars of sneakers from an unnamed Oregon-based sneaker company to Chinese nationals. Nike is headquartered in Oregon.

The complaint alleges that Freeman helped Whitner move large amounts of cash from Chinese money couriers involved in the alleged scheme dating back to 2017.

Whitner, who is not facing any criminal charges in the matter, did not reply to Complex’s request for comment.

UPDATE (9/23): The Whitaker Group, Whitner’s business that sits on top of A Ma Maniére and Social Status, issued a comment on the federal investigation on Monday, saying that the US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina has declined to prosecute the matter of the alleged sneaker retail scheme. The Whitaker Group’s full statement appear’s below.

“Following a thorough investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina (USAO) into James Whitner and The Whitaker Group. The office has declined prosecution based upon, among other things the sufficiency of admissible evidence to support prosecution. This outcome reaffirms our stance all along of the integrity of our business, the transparency of our operations and the regulatory compliance of all our tools, platforms and processes that allow us to serve both community and consumers effectively.