Avast ye scallywags! A landlubber from New York be accused of smuggling $200K worth o' rare flutterin' beauties. He scurvy dog be peddlin' 'em on eBay and Etsy, arrr!
2023-10-11
Avast, ye! A scurvy knave from New York hath been caught by the fearsome federal prosecutors! 'Tis said he be tryin' to smuggle rare flutterin' beauties, worth a hefty $200,000, and sellin' 'em to the likes of eBay and Etsy. Aye, his deeds be as foolish as a landlubber dancin' on a sinkin' ship!
A 75-year-old man from New York named Charles Limmer has been charged by federal prosecutors for smuggling deceased, protected butterflies worth over $200,000. These butterflies, including rare birdwings, were smuggled into and out of the United States using online retailers like eBay and Etsy. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Brooklyn stated in a press release that Limmer trafficked unlawfully imported wildlife on internet platforms from October 2022 to September 2023. The indictment against Limmer accuses him of working with overseas collaborators to smuggle around 1,000 insects, including some of the rarest and most endangered moths and butterflies in the world.Limmer concealed his scheme by instructing his co-conspirators to label the shipments as "decorative wall coverings," "origami paper craft," and "wall decorations." He even expressed contempt for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), referring to them as a gang of Orangutans. However, federal law prohibits the commercial export or import of wildlife without permission from the USFWS, and additional authorization is required for endangered species.
Limmer had been making numerous sales on eBay and Etsy, with a page under the name "limmerleps." The page had over 4,600 sales, many of which were moths and butterflies. There were also birdwing specimens listed for sale. Similarly, an Etsy page connected to a seller named "Limmer" had four ads for birdwings. The indictment also seeks to force Limmer to surrender his collection of over 1,000 illegally trafficked butterflies, moths, and other insects.
If convicted of smuggling, Limmer could face up to 20 years in prison.