MA man charged with trafficking in exotic animal skulls, skins and claws

READING, MA — A Massachusetts man faces multiple charges after being accused of trafficking in wildlife parts from endangered and protected species, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced Friday.

Adam Bied, 39, from Reading, was found with more than 100 wildlife parts, including orangutan skulls, tiger skulls, jaguar skin and other species parts in endangered, threatened or protected, in his home, a storage unit and a vehicle, according to officials.

“Illicit trafficking in endangered wildlife for financial gain is a serious offense that poses a significant threat to global efforts to conserve and preserve these species,” the Acting United States Attorney said Friday. , Joshua S. Levy. “Mr. Bied’s alleged conduct reflects a blatant disregard for the laws in place to safeguard our planet’s biodiversity.”

Between January 2018 and at least June 2021, Bied bought, sold, and traded parts and derivatives of wild animals, knowing that many of the transactions violated U.S. laws and regulations and that he knowingly failed to report these wild animals when of their importation into the United States. court documents say.

“Specifically, Bied allegedly placed orders with people in Cameroon and Indonesia who engaged in the killing and acquisition of wild animals – including endangered and protected species – which he then resold or traded to customers in the United States,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. “Bied did not possess a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service import/export license or required permits under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, and allegedly failed to to report wildlife to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service upon importation.”

Other parts of the wildlife are also subject to confiscation because they were allegedly acquired in violation of the Endangered Species Act or the Marine Mammal Protection Act, according to officials.

The wildlife parts identified in the civil forfeiture complaint include:

• Orangutan skulls;
• Tiger skulls;
• Leopard skin, skulls and claws;
• Jaguar skin and skull;
• African lion skulls;
• Polar bear skull;
• Narwhal tusk;
• Otter skeleton;
• Harp seal skull;
• South American fur seal skull;
• Elephant seal skull;
• Skulls of Babirusa;
• Mandrillus skulls;
• Wallaby skull; And
• Jackal skull

Bied is charged with two counts of conspiracy to smuggle goods into the United States, specifically illegally imported wildlife parts, and three counts of violating the Lacey Act which prohibits the trafficking of wildlife. 'wild animals. It is alleged that the wildlife was protected by the Endangered Species Act as well as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

The conspiracy charges as well as the Lacey Act charges each carry a penalty of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.