HSI Arrest Florida Dinosaur Enthusiast for Stealing Dinosaur Bones from Mongolia

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents arrested Eric Prokopi, 38, of Gainesville, Fla., early Wednesday, October 17, 2012, pursuant to a federal criminal complaint charging him with multiple crimes relating to a scheme to illegally import dinosaur fossils into the United States, including a nearly complete Tyrannosaurus bataar skeleton from Mongolia, a Saurolophus angustirostris skeleton, also from Mongolia, and a Microraptor skeleton from China.

Prokopi was arrested the morning of Wednesday, October 17, 2012, by HSI special agents at his home in Gainesville, Fla., and was presented at the federal courthouse in Gainesville the afternoon of Wednesday, October 17, 2012. Prokopi is charged with one count of conspiracy to smuggle illegal goods, possess stolen property and make false statements. If convicted on this charge, he faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison. He is also charged with smuggling goods into the United States, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and interstate sale and receipt of stolen goods, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

Prokopis arrest follows an earlier civil suit filed by the U.S. Attorneys Office Southern District of New York (USAO SDNY) seeking forfeiture of the Tyrannosaurus bataar skeleton so that it can be returned to Mongolia. That action is pending before U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara stated, "As alleged, our recent seizure of the Tyrannosaurus bataar skeleton from Eric Prokopi was merely the tip of the iceberg – our investigation uncovered a one-man black market in prehistoric fossils. In addition to our commitment to ensuring that these relics are returned to their countries of origin, we are equally committed to shutting down Prokopis illegal business and holding him to account for his alleged crimes."

HSI NY Special Agent in Charge James T. Hayes Jr. said, "The arrest of Eric Prokopi and the recent seizure of the Saurolophus angustirostris fossil sends a clear message that HSI does not tolerate the sale of allegedly stolen cultural artifacts. We want to make this illegal business practice extinct in the U.S. This fossil is a symbol of the rich cultural heritage of the Mongolian people. HSI will preserve the fossil and return it to its rightful owner."

The following allegations are based on the complaint unsealed Wednesday, October 17, 2012, in Manhattan federal court, the amended civil forfeiture complaint and statements made in court proceedings:

Prokopi owns and runs a business called "Everything Earth" out of his Florida home and is a self-described "commercial paleontologist." He buys and sells whole and partial fossilized dinosaur skeletons. Between 2010 and 2012, the defendant acquired dinosaur fossils from foreign countries and unlawfully transported them to the United States, misrepresenting the contents of the shipments on customs forms. Many of the fossils in Prokopis possession were indigenous to Mongolia and could only be found in that country.

In fact, Mongolian officials have uncovered a witness who accompanied Prokopi to an excavation site in 2009 and observed him physically taking bones out of the ground. Since 1924, Mongolia has enacted laws declaring dinosaur fossils to be the property of the Mongolian government and criminalizing their export from the country.

One of the fossils Prokopi unlawfully imported into the U.S. is the skeleton of the Tyrannosaurus bataar, a dinosaur that lived during the late Cretaceous period, approximately 70 million years ago. When importing this skeleton, Prokopi made a number of misrepresentations about its identity, origin and value. The Tyrannosaurus bataar skeleton was sold at an auction in Manhattan for more than $1 million, pending the resolution of court proceedings that were instituted on behalf of the Mongolian government in an effort to reclaim the skeleton prior to the sale, but after the auction materials were published. When he heard about the court proceedings, Prokopi responded by emailing an individual who works for Heritage Auctions – the institution that put the skeleton up for sale – stating, in part, "If (the Mongolian president) only wants to take the skeleton and try to put an end to the black market, he will have a fight and will only drive the black market deeper underground."

Prokopi also illegally imported from Mongolia the skeleton of a Saurolophus angustirostris, another dinosaur from the late Cretaceous period that he ultimately sold to the I.M. Chait gallery in California. In addition, Prokopi unlawfully sold the fossils of two other dinosaurs native to Mongolia, Gallimimus and Oviraptor mongoliensis, and imported the fossilized remains of a Microraptor, a small, flying dinosaur from China.

The investigation is being conducted by HSI New York.

HSI plays a leading role in criminal investigations that involve the illegal importation and distribution of cultural property, as well as the illicit trafficking of artwork. The agency specializes in recovering works that have been reported lost or stolen. The HSI Office of International Affairs, through its 71 attaché offices in 47 countries, works closely with foreign governments to conduct joint investigations, when possible.

HSI specially trained investigators, assigned to both domestic and international offices, partner with governments, agencies and experts to protect cultural antiquities. They also train investigators from other nations and agencies on investigating crimes involving stolen property and art, and how to best enforce the law to recover these items when they emerge in the marketplace.

Since 2007, HSI has repatriated more than 2,500 items to more than 23 countries.

The criminal case is being prosecuted by the USAO SDNYs Complex Frauds Unit. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Martin S. Bell. The ongoing civil forfeiture case is being handled by the Offices Asset Forfeiture Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sharon Cohen Levin and Martin S. Bell are in charge of the forfeiture case.

The charges against Prokopi are merely allegations. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Homicide Suspect Deported to Mexico Through Secure Communities Program

A Mexican citizen wanted for murder in his homeland was turned over to Mexican law enforcement officers Thursday, July 5, 2012, following his removal from the United States by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).

Alfredo Montalvo-Coreno, 32, was arrested by the Fayette County Police Department in January for driving without a license. After his fingerprints were submitted to ICE under the Secure Communities program, officers discovered that Montalvo-Coreno was the subject of an Interpol warrant for a homicide committed in the Mexican State of Guanajuato in 2002.

ERO took custody of Montalvo-Coreno June 7 and detained him at the Stewart Detention Center. He was flown to Texas Thursday and turned over to officials from the Mexican Office of the General Attorney at the Laredo, Texas, port of entry.

"ICE works closely with our international law enforcement partners to identify, locate and deport aliens who are wanted in their home countries for allegedly committing heinous crimes," said Felicia Skinner, field office director of ERO Atlanta. "We will not allow criminal aliens to use the United States as a safe haven from their crimes." Skinner oversees ERO activities in Georgia and the Carolinas.

Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 455 foreign fugitives from the United States who were being sought in their native countries for serious crimes, including kidnapping, rape and murder. ERO works with ICE's Office of International Affairs, foreign consular offices in the United States, and Interpol to identify foreign fugitives illegally present in the country.

HSI Recovers Tyrannosaur Skeleton; Returns to Mongolia

The nearly complete skeleton of a dinosaur was forfeited June 22, 2012 to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents. This action stems from an investigation by HSI and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.

The skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus Bataar dinosaur (the Tyrannosaurus Bataar Skeleton) was looted from the Gobi Desert in Mongolia. This forfeiture is the first step to the hopeful repatriation of the fossil to Mongolia.

"I thank and applaud the United States Attorney's Office in this action to recover the Tyrannosaurus Bataar, an important piece of the cultural heritage of the Mongolian people," said Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, president of Mongolia. "Cultural looting and profiteering cannot be tolerated anywhere and this cooperation between our governments is a large step forward to stopping it."

"As alleged, criminal smugglers misrepresented this fossil to customs officials when they illegally imported it into the United States," said ICE Director John Morton. "HSI works diligently to counteract loopholes smuggling organizations use to attempt to facilitate the entry of stolen and looted items into the United States illicitly."

"The skeletal remains of this dinosaur are of tremendous cultural and historic significance to the people of Mongolia, and provide a connection to the country's prehistoric past," said U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, Southern District of New York. "When the skeleton was allegedly looted, a piece of the country's natural history was stolen with it, and we look forward to returning it to its rightful place."

According to court documents, the Tyrannosaurus Bataar, a native of what is now Mongolia, was a dinosaur from the late Cretaceous period, approximately 70 million years ago. It was first discovered in 1946 during a joint Soviet-Mongolian expedition to the Gobi Desert in the Mongolian Ömnögovi Province. Since 1924, Mongolia has enacted laws declaring dinosaur fossils to be the property of the Government of Mongolia and criminalizing their export from the country.

On March 27, 2010, the Tyrannosaurus Bataar skeleton was imported into the United States from Great Britain. The customs importation documents contained several misstatements. First, the country of origin of the Tyrannosaurus Bataar skeleton was erroneously listed as Great Britain. However, according to several paleontologists, Tyrannosaurus Bataars have only been recovered in Mongolia. In addition, the Tyrannosaurus Bataar skeleton was substantially undervalued on the importation documents. Customs importation forms listed its value as $15,000, in contrast to the $950,000 to $1.5 million price listed in a 2012 auction catalog.

Finally, the Tyrannosaurus Bataar skeleton was incorrectly described on the customs importation documents as two, large, rough fossil reptile heads; six boxes of broken fossil bones; three rough fossil reptiles; one fossil lizard; three rough fossil reptiles and one fossil reptile skull.


Texas-based Heritage Auctions Inc., offered the Tyrannosaurus Bataar skeleton for sale at an auction conducted in New York. Prior to the sale, the Government of Mongolia sought — and was granted by a Texas Civil District Judge — a temporary restraining order prohibiting the auctioning, sale, release or transfer of the Tyrannosaurus Bataar skeleton. Notwithstanding the state court order, Heritage Auctions completed the auction and the Tyrannosaurus Bataar skeleton sold for $1.052 million. The sale, however, is contingent upon the outcome of any court proceedings instituted on behalf of the Mongolian Government.

On June 5, at the request of the President of Mongolia, several paleontologists specializing in Tyrannosaurus Bataars examined the Tyrannosaurus Bataar skeleton and concluded it is a Tyrannosaurus Bataar skeleton that was unearthed from the Western Gobi Desert in Mongolia between 1995 and 2005.

HSI plays a leading role in criminal investigations that involve the unauthorized importation and distribution of cultural property, as well as the illegal trafficking of artwork. The agency specializes in recovering works that have been reported lost or stolen. The HSI Office of International Affairs, through its 70 attaché offices in 47 countries, works closely with foreign governments to conduct joint investigations, when possible.

HSI specially trained investigators, assigned to both domestic and international offices, partner with governments, agencies and experts to protect cultural antiquities. They also train investigators from other nations and agencies on investigating crimes involving stolen property and art, and how to best enforce the law to recover these items when they emerge in the marketplace.

Since 2007, HSI has repatriated more than 2,500 items to more than 23 countries.

El Salvador National Deported; Wanted for Murder in Home Country

A member of a transnational street gang wanted in his native country of El Salvador for aggravated homicide was deported by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) the week of May 24, 2012 and turned over to authorities in that nation's capital.

Tarsis Dodamin Quintero–Sanchez, 40, was repatriated to El Salvador Wednesday aboard a removal flight chartered by ICE's Air Operations Unit. Quintero, a documented member of the 18th Street Gang, is named in a warrant issued by Salvadoran authorities in September 2007 charging him with murder and belonging to an illicit group, specifically the 18th Street Gang.

According to the warrant, the slaying occurred Sept. 16, 2007, in the Ciudad Delgado section of San Salvador. Authorities allege Quintero and two others fired nine shots at the victim, Oscar Oswaldo Reyes Alvarado, resulting in his death. The motive for the shooting is unknown.

Quintero's deportation caps a five–month effort by ICE's Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) and Office of the Principal Legal Advisor to secure his removal. Quintero came into ICE custody in December 2011, following his conviction in Los Angeles County for vandalism. Since Quintero had been previously deported from the United States in 2000, ICE sought to reinstate his prior removal order. Quintero appealed the agency's action to the Board of Immigration Appeals, which dismissed the appeal in late April, paving the way for Quintero's deportation. While Quintero was in ICE custody awaiting a decision on his immigration case, Salvadoran consular representatives alerted the agency about the outstanding murder warrant.

"Five years after the crime occurred, this suspect undoubtedly believed he'd succeeded in eluding justice, but given our international cooperation, the reach of the law today is longer than ever before," said Timothy S. Robbins, field office director for ERO Los Angeles. "ICE will continue to use its unique immigration enforcement authorities and work closely with foreign governments to protect residents here and abroad from those who pose a threat to public safety."

"One of our top U.S. priorities in Central America right now is to help to improve the security situation in this region," said U.S. Chargé d'Affaires Sean Murphy. "El Salvador is one of our strongest partners in that fight, and this case shows why. Congratulations to both ICE and to the Salvadoran Police on a job well done."

In addition to his most recent conviction for vandalism, database checks indicate Quintero's criminal record in the United States includes two prior robbery convictions in 1993 and 1995.

Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 335 foreign fugitives from the United States who were being sought in their native countries for serious crimes, including kidnapping, rape and murder. ERO works with ICE's Office of International Affairs, foreign consular offices in the United States and Interpol to identify foreign fugitives illegally present in the country.

Painting Returned to Family Heirs After 72 Years

A 400-year-old masterpiece work of art taken illegally from its owners in Nazi-occupied France during World War II was returned Wednesday, April 18, to the family from which it was stolen more than 70 years ago.

Officials from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida, and Interpol Washington's U.S. National Central Bureau attended a ceremony in Tallahassee April 18 to return the rare painting by Girolamo de' Romani, known as Romanino, to the Gentili family.

HSI Special Agent in Charge Susan McCormick and U.S. Attorney Pamela Marsh officially signed over custody of the painting the same day to the Gentili heirs' legal representative, Maître Corinne Hershkovitch, who traveled from France to receive the artwork.

The painting, "Cristo Portacroce" (Christ Carrying the Cross), which dates to circa 1538, depicts Christ, crowned with thorns and wearing a striking copper-colored silk robe, carrying the cross on his right shoulder while being dragged with a rope by a soldier.

"Thanks to the tireless efforts of those involved, we are now righting a wrong perpetrated more than 70 years ago," said McCormick. "HSI will continue to investigate cases involving stolen art and cultural property from around the world and return the objects to their rightful owners."

Professor Lionel Salem, one of the heirs of the Gentili estate, could not be present for the ceremony but expressed his appreciation to the Department of Homeland Security for their "fantastic work" in investigating and pursuing the family's interest in the Romanino painting: "I am so deeply grateful for the efforts of DHS on this matter," he said. "The Gentili heirs are unanimous in wishing to convey the full extent of their immense gratitude."

"Today, during this momentous occasion, I commend the outstanding collaborative efforts of ICE/HSI, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida, and Interpol Washington for locating and returning this 400-year-old priceless piece of artwork to the Gentili family where it belongs. When law enforcement agencies partner and pull their respective resources, much can be accomplished at all levels," stated Interpol Washington Director Timothy A. Williams.

The painting was imported into the United States in March 2011 for temporary exhibit at the Mary Brogan Museum of Art and Science in Tallahassee. Following a lead from Interpol that called the painting's ownership into question, HSI special agents consulted the U.S. Attorney's Office and seized the painting at the museum Nov. 4, 2011, to protect the art until ownership could be confirmed through formal legal proceedings.

The painting had been on display at the museum since March 18, 2011, as part of an exhibition of 50 baroque paintings on loan from the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan, Italy.

The painting is among many works of art and other valuable items, taken in a forced sale from the estate of Federico Gentili di Giuseppe. Gentili died of natural causes in Paris in April 1940, just months before the Nazi army invaded France in 1941. After receiving advanced warning of the impending Nazi invasion, Federico Gentili's children and grandchildren fled from France, escaping to Canada and the United States. Other family members, who were unable to flee, died in concentration camps.

Gentili's grandchildren have taken legal steps internationally to find and reclaim works illegally taken from their family during the Nazi occupation. In a landmark 1999 decision relating to World War II plunder, a Paris Court of Appeals forced the Musee de Louvre in Paris to return five paintings to the Gentili family, and ruled that the auction of the Gentili estate in Nazi-occupied France was an illegal forced sale and a "nullity."

Earliest records about the painting indicate that it dates back to around 1538. It then appears in the collection of Antonio and Cesare Averoldi, and then in the Crespi Galerie. On June 4, 1914, after legally exporting a portion of the Crespi Collection from Italy, the Crespi Galerie put this painting and others up for auction in Paris, where it was subsequently purchased by Federico Gentili. After Gentili died, his estate was auctioned by French Vichy authorities in 1941, acting in concert with the Nazi occupiers; and the Gentili heirs were prohibited by law from returning to claim the painting. Several extraordinary anti-Semitic laws had been imposed, depriving French nationals who had left France of their nationality and arranging for confiscation of their property. Another German order, dated Sept. 27, 1940, established that, "Jews who had fled from the occupied zone were banned from returning there." As a result, the painting was sold in the illegal, forced sale of 1941. The painting was thereafter acquired by the Pinacoteca di Brera in 1998.

U.S. Attorney Marsh and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bobby Stinson prosecuted the federal case for the United States.

U.S. Attorney Marsh praised the investigation by Interpol and HSI agents that brought this long-standing injustice to light: "Interpol and HSI deserve special credit for their efforts on this case. Their investigation not only identified the presence of this looted artwork in our district but also confirmed many details that were essential to a successful legal outcome. They obtained evidence from several different countries and also obtained documentation that confirmed the legal exportation of this painting from Italy prior to its sale to the Gentili family in France. It is not every day that our agents are required to track down and verify the provenance of a Renaissance painting. It was an unusual and dated investigative trail, but they were up to the challenge."

HSI plays a leading role in criminal investigations that involve the unauthorized importation and distribution of cultural property, as well as the illegal trafficking of artwork. The agency specializes in recovering works that have been reported lost or stolen. The HSI Office of International Affairs, through its 70 attaché offices in 47 countries, works closely with foreign governments to conduct joint investigations, when possible.

HSI specially trained investigators, assigned to both domestic and international offices, partner with governments, agencies and experts to protect cultural antiquities. They also train investigators from other nations and agencies on investigating crimes involving stolen property and art, and how to best enforce the law to recover these items when they emerge in the marketplace.

Since 2007, HSI has repatriated more than 2,500 items to more than 23 countries.

ICE Agents Train for Missions Abroad

With 71 offices in 47 countries, many U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents serve in dangerous locations, often exposing themselves to a variety of threats. That's why HSI's Personnel Recovery Unit prepares HSI personnel for life overseas.

Since its February 2011 inception, the Personnel Recovery Unit has equipped HSI employees with the necessary knowledge, tools, gear and skills needed to identify and appropriately respond to isolating events or potentially dangerous situations. These situations range from natural disasters to political instability to acts of violence.

Before departing for their station abroad, special agents undergo intense training at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Cheltenham, Md. A mix of classroom training and simulated real-life exercises prepares special agents for unexpected scenarios that they may face and gives them tools to reduce vulnerabilities abroad.

"We teach them [employees] how to identify or recognize, and if possible, prevent a dangerous or compromising situation; how to egress from the area; and most importantly, how to use these tools and techniques to help them survive an isolating event," said Personnel Recovery Unit Chief Johnny "J.P." Moseley.

The unit is not only focused on the safety of HSI employees who work abroad. Their families' safety is also a top priority. Family members receive training, provided by the U.S. Department of State, that readies them for living overseas.

A division within ICE's HSI Office of International Affairs, the Personnel Recovery Unit focuses on four core competencies. According to Special Agent Wayne Jones, "The Personnel Recovery Unit provides our posts and headquarters with the operational support needed to respond to events, ensures ICE's special agents receive the training and equipment they need, incorporates new strategies and lessons learned, and maintains a solid management and administrative infrastructure."

Unit Chief Moseley is working with the ICE Office of Training and Development, other HSI divisions and with the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center to develop an advance training course for ICE employees who work abroad.