Benjamin Kapelushnik

Benjamin Kapelushnik (born October 14, 1999), also known as Benjamin Kickz or the Sneaker Don, is an American entrepreneur and sneaker reseller. 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. In 2016, Kapelushnik was included in Fortune 's "18 Under 18" list and The Guardian 's "teen power list."

Life and career Kapelushnik was born in Brooklyn, New York and grew up in Miami, Florida. He is the son of Russian immigrants. His father is a real-estate broker and his mother is a stay-at-home parent. 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.

In 2014, Kapelushnik's reselling business gained momentum when a customer introduced him to record producer DJ Khaled. Kapelushnik acknowledged that P. Diddy is his biggest customer. 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. Closing Bell, Business Insider, The Daily Show, and CNN. In 2018, Kapelushnik appeared on an episode of Most Expensivest, hosted by rapper 2 Chainz.

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

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

On January 7, 2021, Kapelushnik was arrested for strongarm robbery, a second-degree felony, according to the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office. Following the incident, Kapelushnik entered a diversion program for first-time offenders.

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.