A quartet of fossil dealers have been accused of buying $1 million worth of dinosaur bones stolen from public lands in Utah and illegally shipping them to China for a profit.
An indictment announced Thursday by federal prosecutors in Utah hit the four defendants with 13 felonies for allegedly trafficking in 150,000 pounds of stolen paleontological resources, including dinosaur bones.
Two Utah residents were charged in the case: Vint Wade, 65, and Donna Wade, 67, who jointly own Wade’s Wood and Rocks in Moab.
40-year-old Oregon resident Jordan Willing, founder and CEO of the education supply company Blue Marble, was also charged along with his father, 67-year-old Steven Willing, a Los Angeles resident and director of Blue Marble.
The indictment alleges that the quartet conspired to purchase dinosaur bones from two unnamed, unindicted co-conspirators, illegally excavating them and removing them from public lands.
A quartet of fossil dealers have been accused of buying $1 million worth of dinosaur bones stolen from public lands in Utah and illegally shipping them to China (evidence photo)
Evidence photos shared by prosecutors showed jewelry labeled “gem bones” that appeared to be made from cut and polished dinosaur bones, destroying their scientific value
The four defendants are represented by different lawyers at separate law firms, all of whom declined to immediately comment when reached by DailyMail.com on Thursday afternoon.
Prosecutors say the defendants not only sold more than $1 million worth of looted dinosaur bones, but also caused more than $3 million in damage with the scheme, including the lost commercial and scientific value of the bones, and the costs of restoration and repair.
Evidence photos shared by prosecutors showed bone fragments and jewelry labeled “gem bones” that appeared to be made from cut and polished dinosaur bones.
“The removal and processing of these dinosaur bones to create consumer products for profit has caused tens of thousands of pounds of dinosaur bones to lose virtually all scientific value, leaving future generations unable to experience the science and wonder of these bones on federal land,” the U.S. said . Attorney Trina A. Higgins.
“The United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to protecting paleontological resources throughout the state of Utah,” she added. “We will hold to account anyone who would engage in similar criminal conduct.”
Investigators are seen with evidence recovered from the case. Prosecutors say the defendants not only sold more than $1 million worth of looted dinosaur bones, but also caused more than $3 million in damage with the scheme
Bone fragments are seen after being seized as evidence. Prosecutors say fossil dealers conspired to traffic 150,000 pounds of stolen dinosaur bones
Arches National Park in Moab, Utah is seen in a file photo. The area is rich in dinosaur bones, but removing them from public lands is a federal violation
According to the indictment, the Wades purchased the dinosaur bones from unindicted co-conspirators who had withdrawn from federal lands and stockpiled them for resale to national vendors at gem and mineral shows.
These sales included $1 million worth of bones purchased by the Willings, who used their company to export them to China, mislabeling them and inflating their value to evade U.S. export bans, the indictment said.
The complaint alleges that “all parties knew or should have known that these paleontological resources were being excavated, removed, sold, purchased, bartered, transported, and received from federal lands.”
The Bureau of Land Management and the FBI are investigating the case with assistance from the Grand County Sheriff and San Juan County Sheriff Offices.
“The Bureau of Land Management deserves much credit for dismantling the illegal trade in paleontological artifacts here in our community,” said Grand County Sheriff Jamison Wiggins.
All four suspects are charged with conspiracy against the United States, violation of the Paleontological Resources Preservation Act, theft of United States property, money laundering and other charges.
The suspects were scheduled to appear in court for the first time Thursday afternoon in Salt Lake City.