Canadian Banned from
Dealing in Wildlife
Linxun Liao, 35, a citizen of Canada, was sentenced
yesterday in Manhattan federal court to two years in prison for his role in a
wildlife trafficking scheme in which he purchased and smuggled 16 “libation
cups” carved from rhinoceros horns and worth more than $1 million from the
United States to China, announced Assistant Attorney General John C. Cruden for
the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice,
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara of the Southern District of New York and Director
Dan Ashe of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Liao pleaded guilty on June 30, 2015, to a two-count information,
admitting to illegally smuggling rhinoceros horn objects from the United
States.
“This prosecution is the result of a vigorous and ongoing
investigation into traffickers profiting from endangered and precious wildlife
species,” said Assistant Attorney General Cruden. “We must ensure that the market for antiques
and alleged antiques does not also contribute to the extinction of these iconic
animals, which could disappear in our lifetimes if we do not act now to stop
this illegal trade.”
“This defendant flouted the laws established to protect
endangered wildlife,” said U.S. Attorney Bharara. “Willfully failing to declare the nature of
the shipments or obtain required permits, Liao broke laws that protect
rhinoceros and other magnificent species threatened with extinction. He has learned the cost of his illegal
conduct.”
“Each of the ceremonial cups that Liao trafficked represents
one step closer to extinction for the rhinoceros, which are steadily being
wiped out by poachers for the illegal rhino horn market,” said Director
Ashe. “The seriousness of this crime and
others like it and their consequences for the world’s most imperiled species
are what drives our efforts to root out and shut down illegal operators like
Mr. Liao. This sentence will serve as a
strong warning that we are going to find, arrest and prosecute anyone engaged
in this sort of activity and make sure they are no longer able to deprive our
children and grandchildren of their wildlife inheritance.”
According to the information, other documents filed in
federal court in Manhattan and statements made at various proceedings in this case,
including today’s sentencing:
Liao was arrested in February 2015 as part of “Operation
Crash,” a nationwide crackdown on illegal trafficking in rhinoceros horns. Liao was a partner in an Asian art and
antiques business located in China.
Liao’s role was to purchase items, including wildlife items, in the
United States and arrange for their export to China. Between in or about March 2012 and May 2013,
Liao made online purchases of 16 rhinoceros horn products, more specifically
libation cups, from auction houses in the United States, including in
Manhattan, which he then smuggled to China without the required declarations
and permits. In order to make these
purchases, Liao used an address of his family members in New Jersey, the New
Jersey location, because he knew that absent a domestic address, the auction
houses would not ship him the rhinoceros horn as well as ivory that Liao had
acquired. Liao then utilized a
Manhattan-based courier service to illegally export the merchandise to
China. Liao did not declare the
rhinoceros exports to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or obtain the required
permits despite his knowledge of the need to do so. Liao closely coordinated his efforts with
co-conspirators who sold the items for a profit at their antique business in
China. The market value of the
rhinoceros libation cups in this case is more than $1 million.
The rhinoceros is an herbivore species of prehistoric origin
and one of the largest remaining mega-fauna on earth. They have no known predators other than
humans. All species of rhinoceros are
protected under U.S. and international law.
Since 1976, trade in rhinoceros horn has been regulated under CITES, a
treaty signed by over 170 countries around the world to protect fish, wildlife
and plants that are or may become imperiled due to the demands of international
markets. Rhinoceros are also protected
under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, which further regulates trade and
transport.
In addition to his prison term, Liao was also ordered two
years of supervised release, to forfeit $1 million and 304 pieces of carved
ivory found during a search of the New Jersey location. Liao was also banned from future involvement
in the wildlife trade.
Operation Crash is a continuing investigation by the Department
of the Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service, in coordination with the
Department of Justice. A “crash” is the
term for a herd of rhinoceros. Operation
Crash is an ongoing effort to detect, deter and prosecute those engaged in the
illegal killing of rhinoceros and the unlawful trafficking of rhinoceros horns.
Assistant Attorney General Cruden and U.S. Attorney Bharara
thanked the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for its outstanding work in this
investigation. This case is being
prosecuted by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Gachiri and
Senior Litigation Counsel Richard A. Udell with the Environmental Crimes
Section of the Department of Justice are in charge of the prosecution.
In addition to his prison term, Liao was also ordered two
years of supervised release, to forfeit $1 million and 304 pieces of carved
ivory found during a search of the New Jersey location. Liao was also banned from future involvement
in the wildlife trade.
Operation Crash is a continuing investigation by the
Department of the Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service, in coordination with
the Department of Justice. A “crash” is
the term for a herd of rhinoceros.
Operation Crash is an ongoing effort to detect, deter and prosecute those
engaged in the illegal killing of rhinoceros and the unlawful trafficking of
rhinoceros horns.
Assistant Attorney General Cruden and U.S. Attorney Bharara
thanked the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for its outstanding work in this
investigation. This case is being
prosecuted by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Gachiri and
Senior Litigation Counsel Richard A. Udell with the Environmental Crimes
Section of the Department of Justice are in charge of the prosecution.
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