Massachusetts man sentenced for trafficking skulls of endangered animals into US

A Massachusetts man has been sentenced to federal prison for trafficking more than 100 body parts from endangered and protected animals into the US. Adam Bied trafficked jaguar skin, tiger and orangutan skulls, as well as those of pangolins and gorillas.

Bied was arrested and charged in June 2024. In January, he pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to smuggle goods into the United States and two counts of violating the Lacey Act, which prohibits the illegal trade of animals.

According to prosecutors, Bied began trafficking animal parts as early as 2018 and continued until June 2021. He placed orders with individuals in Cameroon and Indonesia, who would obtain the animals and ship their remains to the US, where Bied would resell them for profit.

Text messages between Bied and his Cameroonian co-conspirator discussing the hunting and killing of targeted wildlife were discovered, and at one point, Bied allegedly offered to send ammunition after the associate said he was unable to obtain bullets due to civil unrest in the country. Bied has requested a range of animal parts, including a gorilla skull, as well as skulls from elephants, lions, and hippos. He reportedly specified that the skulls should not have bullet holes in them. 

In communications with a co-conspirator in Indonesia, Bied also sought skulls from orangutans and Javan leopards, both of which are endangered species. Bied later sold two illegally imported leopard skulls to an undercover agent, falsely claiming they had been purchased at an auction.

During the investigation, officials seized numerous animal remains, including skulls from orangutans, tigers, African lions, and polar bears, along with a leopard skin and claw, a narwhal tusk, an otter skeleton, and other items.

“Trafficking in the remains of endangered and protected animals is not a collector’s hobby – it is a crime that fuels the exploitation of vulnerable species around the world. As the Department of Justice has made clear, protecting animal welfare and enforcing our wildlife laws is a priority,” US Attorney Leah Foley said in a statement, according to the Boston Herald.

“This defendant knowingly smuggled and profited from the killing of protected animals – some of which were slaughtered at his direction – undermining global conservation efforts. Today’s sentence holds him accountable and sends a clear message: those who traffic in wildlife will be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”