MA Man Charged with Trafficking in Exotic Animal Skulls, Skins and Claws

Adam Bied, 39, from Reading was found with more than 100 wildlife parts, including orangutan skulls, tiger skulls, jaguar skin and other parts.

Jun 22, 2024 7:33 PM EDT | Updated Jun 22, 2024 7:45 PM EDT

READING, MA — A Massachusetts man faces multiple charges after being accused of trafficking in endangered and protected wildlife parts, the United States 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 parts from endangered, threatened or protected species in his home, a storage unit and a vehicle, according to records. officials.

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“Illicit trafficking of endangered wildlife for financial gain is a serious crime that poses a significant threat to global conservation efforts and the preservation of these species,” Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy said Friday. “Mr. Bied’s alleged behavior reflects a flagrant disregard for the laws in place to protect our planet’s biodiversity.”

From at least January 2018 through June 2021, Bied bought, sold, and traded wildlife parts and products, knowing that many of the transactions violated U.S. laws and regulations and knowingly failed to report that wildlife to import into the United States. court documents say.

“Specifically, Bied allegedly placed orders with individuals in Cameroon and Indonesia who were engaged in the killing and purchase of wildlife – including endangered and protected species – which he then resold or traded to customers in United States,” the US Attorney’s Office said. “Bied did not hold a United States Fish and Wildlife Service import/export license or permits required by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and allegedly failed to declare the wildlife to the Fish and Wildlife Service from the United States on import. “

Other parts of the wildlife are also subject to forfeiture because they are believed to have been 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 skins, skulls and claws;
• Jaguar skin and skull;
• African lion skulls;
• Polar bear skull;
• narwhal horn;
• Otter skeleton;
• Harp seal skull;
• seal skull from South America;
• Focar elephant skull;
• Babirusa skulls;
• mandrill 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 wildlife trafficking. The wildlife is said to have been 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 sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.