Home Scandal and Gossip $20K: Nike executive quits over son $132K sneaker credit resale profiting

$20K: Nike executive quits over son $132K sneaker credit resale profiting

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Ann Hebert Nike son reseller
Ann Hebert Nike son reseller profits. Pictured, Joe Hebert.
Ann Hebert Nike son
Ann Hebert Nike son: Sporting outlet executive resigns over reseller scandal

Ann Hebert Nike son reseller scandal: Sporting outlet executive resigns over son’s reseller profits made using her company credit card. Social media backlash. 

A Nike executive resigned from the sporting goods company Monday after her son used one of her credit cards to purchase $132,000 worth of limited-edition sneakers for his own resale company which led to the teen flipping thousands of dollars profit. 

Ann Hebert, the vice president and general manager of Nike’s North America division, was implicated after a Bloomberg Businessweek report found her son Joe Hebert, 19, used bots to make an online purchase of 600 pairs of a sought-after sneaker (the Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 Zyon) after they were released.

Hebert used the corporate American Express credit card which was in his mother’s name to build up the stock of his resale business, West Coast Streetwear and sold the shoes for more than $20,000 profit.

‘Bingo! I scored good. I’m in the mix. Thanks mom!’

But there’s more.

Conflict of interest

Sources reveal Hebert previously also using his mother’s employee discount to purchase sneakers in bulk from Nike outlet stores. It is believed Nike was aware of the scheme and had previously said it wasn’t a conflict of interest after the mother disclosed her son’s ‘reseller’ business in 2018. The outlet is understood to have a zero policy towards resellers and of reselling. 

Hebert denied ever receiving inside information from his mother, according to Bloomberg. He reportedly asked that his mother not be included in the Bloomberg story.

In a statement, Nike said Hebert, who had worked at the company for 25 years, resigned voluntarily.

‘Ann Hebert, VP/GM, North America geography has decided to step down from Nike, effectively immediately,’ the company wrote in an email to employees, according to Complex. ‘We thank Ann for her more than 25 years with Nike and wish her well.’

Ann Hebert Nike executive resigns
Pictured, Ann Hebert Nike executive.

Social media revolts

After working her way through various sales roles at Nike, beginning in 1995, Ann climbed her way up to hold positions including head of sales in North America, head of Nike’s Asia Pacific and Latin America divisions, and ultimately head of North America — a job she took on in June of last year.

It remained unclear if Nike had sought the executive’s departure. Equally unclear is if the sporting outlet which recorded $6.3 billion revenue in 2020 would have responded had social media furore not erupted.

The company said it plans to announce a new North American lead shortly.

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