Reading man had tiger skulls, narwhal tusk in storage unit, home, prosecutors say – MassLive

Adam Bied, 39, of Reading, is accused of trafficking exotic animal skulls into the U.S. from Cameroon and Indonesia.U.S. Attorney's Office for Massachusetts
A 39-year-old man is facing criminal charges after prosecutors say he illegally imported exotic animal parts such as an orangutan skull and leopard skin into the U.S. over the course of three years beginning in January 2018, acting U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Joshua S. Levy’s office announced.
Adam Bied, of Reading, 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 trafficking in wildlife, according to Levy’s office. Prosecutors say the wildlife was protected by the Endangered Species Act and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
According to Levy’s office, Bied began buying, selling and trading wildlife parts and products in January 2018 despite knowing many of the transactions were a violation of federal laws and regulations. Prosecutors say Bied “knowingly failed” to declare the wildlife upon its importation into the U.S.
Orangutan and leopard skulls are among the exotic animal parts seized from a Massachusetts man's home, storage unit and vehicle, prosecutors say.U.S. Attorney's Office for Massachusetts
Bied is accused of placing orders with individuals in Cameroon and Indonesia who killed and acquired wildlife, including endangered and prosecuted species, which he would then resell to customers in the U.S. Prosecutors say he did have an import/export license from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service or necessary permits and failed to declare the wildlife to the service upon import.
Prosecutors have filed a civil forfeiture complaint for more than 100 wildlife parts from endangered, threatened, or protected species that were seized from Bied’s residence, storage unit and a vehicle in July 2021. Those wildlife parts include orangutan skulls, an otter skeleton, leopard skin, African lion skulls and a narwhal tusk.
The charges Bied faces each carry a sentence of up to five years in prison, according to Levy’s office.
“The illicit trafficking of endangered wildlife for financial gain is a grave offense that poses a significant threat to global conservation efforts and preservation of these species,” Levy said in the statement, adding that the forfeiture action filed by his office, “sends a clear message that we will not only prosecute those who engage in illegal wildlife trafficking, but also take legal actions to strip them of their ill-gotten gains.”
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025).
© 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us).
The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local.
Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site.
YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here.
Ad Choices

source