Benjamin Kapelushnik

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Benjamin Kapelushnik
Benjamin Kapelushnik, wearing a red shirt and gold chain, authenticating a pair of sneakers in 2017
Kapelushnik authenticating a pair of sneakers in 2017
Born (1999-10-14) October 14, 1999 (age 26)[1]
Brooklyn, New York, US
Other names
  • Benjamin Kickz
  • Sneaker Don
OccupationEntrepreneur
AwardsShorty Awards finalist (2018)

Benjamin Kapelushnik (born October 14, 1999), also known as Benjamin Kickz or the Sneaker Don, is an American entrepreneur and sneaker reseller.[2][3][4] At 16-years-old, Kapelushnik amassed nearly US$1 million in sales through his self-made sneaker business and attracted high-profile clients such as DJ Khaled and Odell Beckham Jr.[5][6] In 2016, Kapelushnik was included in Fortune's "18 Under 18" list and The Guardian's "teen power list."[7][8]

Life and career

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Kapelushnik was born in Brooklyn, New York[9] and grew up in Miami, Florida. He is the son of Russian immigrants.[10] His father is a real-estate broker and his mother is a stay-at-home parent.[10] Kapelushnik has a younger brother who he features on his social media. He keeps kosher.[10] Kapelushnik attended Fort Lauderdale High School but was later homeschooled.

Kapelushnik first gained an interest in sneakers after his mother purchased him a pair of Nikes in middle school. Shortly after, Kapelushnik used some of his bar-mitzvah money to purchase additional sneakers and began consulting sneaker magazines and the sneaker resale market.[10] Using the profit from some of his initial sales and from his parents, Kapelushnik began to buy shoes in bulk, including 85 pairs of Air Jordan 1s.[11][12] According to Kapelushnik, he managed to find friends with contacts to Nike and Adidas, often referred to as "plugs," and formed a partnership with an out-of-state sneaker store in order to acquire sneakers before their release date.[13]

In 2014, Kapelushnik's reselling business gained momentum when a customer introduced him to record producer DJ Khaled.[11] Kapelushnik began a close relationship with Khaled and is frequently featured on Khaled's Snapchat.[10][11] After meeting Khaled, Kapelushnik's clientele went on to include a number of prominent rappers, athletes, and celebrities, including Drake, Travis Scott, Floyd Mayweather, Kevin Hart and others.[11][14] Kapelushnik acknowledged that P. Diddy is his biggest customer.[15] In an interview with New York magazine, Kapelushnik noted that he planned on signing up for a reality TV show and that he desired to open his own brick and mortar stores.[2][10]

Kapelushnik has been featured on Complex,[13] Great Big Story,[16] Closing Bell,[17] Business Insider,[15][18] The Daily Show,[19][20] and CNN.[21] In 2018, Kapelushnik appeared on an episode of Most Expensivest, hosted by rapper 2 Chainz.[22][23]

Kapelushnik was a finalist for the 10th annual Shorty Awards for the Best in Fashion category.[24][25]

Kapelushnik is signed with Brillstein Entertainment Partners.[26] In 2020, Kapelushnik released a single titled "Let You Go," featuring Gunna.[27][28]

On January 7, 2021, Kapelushnik was arrested for strongarm robbery, a second-degree felony, according to the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office.[29][30] Prosecutors alleged that on New Year's Eve in the lobby of the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach, Kapelushnik and his entourage attacked a 19-year-old male for taking of a picture of him, an act which the attacked man denied, without his consent.[31][30][29] Prosecutors said that the victim subsequently required hospitalization and surgery.[32] Following the incident, Kapelushnik entered a diversion program for first-time offenders.[33]

A year after the altercation, a member of Kapelushnik's entourage was arrested in connection to the incident in Indianapolis on a fugitive warrant. The man is charged with aggravated battery and strong-arm robbery and is awaiting extradition to Miami-Dade.[33]

See also

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References

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Further reading

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  • Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  • Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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