WEBVTT 00:00:05.833 --> 00:00:07.291 After the bug heist, 00:00:07.333 --> 00:00:10.166 Northeast Detectives called me in, 00:00:10.250 --> 00:00:13.041 asked me to review certain documents 00:00:13.125 --> 00:00:15.625 and asked about the history 00:00:15.666 --> 00:00:18.208 of the Insectarium and everything else. 00:00:18.291 --> 00:00:20.666 I spent hours being interviewed 00:00:20.666 --> 00:00:21.750 by detectives. 00:00:21.833 --> 00:00:23.791 I told them the whole story 00:00:23.833 --> 00:00:26.625 about John stealing the museum from me. 00:00:26.708 --> 00:00:29.625 Everything I worked for for 46 years, 00:00:29.625 --> 00:00:31.000 John stole it all. 00:00:32.666 --> 00:00:33.666 Director: So how did John win the lawsuits 00:00:33.708 --> 00:00:34.708 if this is all so clear? 00:00:34.708 --> 00:00:36.333 The judge didn't believe me. 00:00:36.416 --> 00:00:39.541 He believed John and his... one of his friends 00:00:39.625 --> 00:00:40.833 Chrissy. 00:00:42.458 --> 00:00:44.000 Director: Can you tell me about Steve? 00:00:44.041 --> 00:00:45.958 Oh, Kanya? 00:00:47.375 --> 00:00:50.666 Deceitful, manipulating 00:00:52.750 --> 00:00:53.750 a fraud. 00:00:55.041 --> 00:00:58.500 That guy has *ed over more people than I could count. 00:01:01.791 --> 00:01:03.500 I interviewed Steve. 00:01:03.583 --> 00:01:05.708 Director: And what did he tell you? 00:01:05.791 --> 00:01:07.000 Steve said that John 00:01:07.000 --> 00:01:08.708 basically stole the property from him, 00:01:08.791 --> 00:01:10.083 stole the business from him, 00:01:10.125 --> 00:01:11.916 but it... the facts are what the facts are. 00:01:14.083 --> 00:01:16.041 We're taught how to question people 00:01:16.041 --> 00:01:17.000 and we make our determinations 00:01:17.083 --> 00:01:19.791 based on our training and our experience. 00:01:19.875 --> 00:01:22.333 You could talk to somebody for five minutes and know 00:01:22.416 --> 00:01:24.541 if they're being truthful with you. 00:01:24.625 --> 00:01:26.333 Once it started becoming clear 00:01:26.375 --> 00:01:28.583 that Steve was a tremendous 00:01:28.708 --> 00:01:30.750 ding-a-ling of a human, 00:01:30.791 --> 00:01:32.875 the creativity that Steve showed 00:01:32.958 --> 00:01:36.875 in trying to explain 00:01:36.916 --> 00:01:38.500 his misdoings was legendary. 00:01:38.583 --> 00:01:41.750 It was... it was sad actually. 00:01:41.833 --> 00:01:43.791 People lie to the police. 00:01:43.875 --> 00:01:46.083 People, people spin their story 00:01:46.125 --> 00:01:48.333 how they want it to sound. 00:01:48.416 --> 00:01:48.791 Of course, 00:01:48.833 --> 00:01:50.041 when you interview someone, 00:01:50.125 --> 00:01:51.625 if they're not truthful to you, you know, 00:01:51.625 --> 00:01:53.916 you're on the right track for the suspect. 00:02:03.125 --> 00:02:05.958 I know for a certainty, he's a liar. 00:02:07.083 --> 00:02:08.500 But in the beginning, 00:02:08.541 --> 00:02:11.083 that wasn't what it was. 00:02:11.166 --> 00:02:12.000 I remember early on, 00:02:12.000 --> 00:02:13.291 when Steve walked me 00:02:13.291 --> 00:02:14.583 through the place, 00:02:14.666 --> 00:02:16.625 it was amazing because I saw 00:02:16.625 --> 00:02:19.041 what he wanted me to see. 00:02:19.125 --> 00:02:20.708 That guy could sell a haircut 00:02:20.750 --> 00:02:22.000 to a barber. 00:02:22.083 --> 00:02:24.708 My product is the pest control marker. 00:02:24.791 --> 00:02:28.500 He said he was gonna be able to pay me a ton of money to come here 00:02:28.583 --> 00:02:31.125 and help him, you know, re-envision 00:02:31.166 --> 00:02:33.541 and rekindle the spirit of this place. 00:02:35.333 --> 00:02:37.333 He's like, I'm gonna build a Butterfly Pavilion 00:02:37.416 --> 00:02:39.083 and as soon as we get that thing open, 00:02:39.125 --> 00:02:40.416 we're gonna have so much money, 00:02:40.500 --> 00:02:41.625 we don't even know what to do with it. 00:02:41.625 --> 00:02:44.458 And I was like, amazing. 00:02:44.541 --> 00:02:47.916 He would allow you 00:02:47.958 --> 00:02:49.500 to sort of partake in his vision. 00:02:49.583 --> 00:02:53.416 And so when I first walked into the back warehouse, 00:02:53.500 --> 00:02:54.125 and he says, 00:02:54.166 --> 00:02:56.125 "This will be a Butterfly Pavilion," 00:02:56.208 --> 00:02:58.875 I'm like, "My gosh, imagine this glorious place." 00:03:00.541 --> 00:03:03.000 This place had been going for 24 years. 00:03:04.625 --> 00:03:05.750 I figured clearly Steve 00:03:05.791 --> 00:03:07.416 knew what he was doing. 00:03:09.458 --> 00:03:11.875 If he said that building this Butterfly Pavilion 00:03:11.958 --> 00:03:14.625 was gonna drive a tremendous amount 00:03:14.625 --> 00:03:16.458 of revenue, I was inclined to believe him. 00:03:16.541 --> 00:03:18.708 And I was like, let's do it. 00:03:21.416 --> 00:03:23.916 Steve needed assistance 00:03:23.958 --> 00:03:25.625 in getting that off the ground. 00:03:25.708 --> 00:03:29.583 John had formal training in the study of bugs. 00:03:29.666 --> 00:03:31.625 And he was young and energetic, 00:03:31.625 --> 00:03:33.166 and had new ideas 00:03:33.166 --> 00:03:34.708 which attracted Steve. 00:03:35.833 --> 00:03:37.583 I hire some friends, 00:03:37.666 --> 00:03:38.708 we have artists, we 00:03:38.750 --> 00:03:40.083 have ad coordinators, 00:03:40.166 --> 00:03:42.041 and they're down here full time. 00:03:43.750 --> 00:03:46.708 It's now just about six months later on 00:03:46.791 --> 00:03:50.125 and we realized Steve didn't have a plan 00:03:50.166 --> 00:03:51.541 for the Butterfly Pavilion. 00:03:51.625 --> 00:03:52.833 He didn't have the money. 00:03:53.916 --> 00:03:55.875 I had people leave other jobs 00:03:55.875 --> 00:03:57.416 to come and be a part of this project. 00:03:57.500 --> 00:04:00.125 Everything that I had been trying to work 00:04:00.166 --> 00:04:01.916 for here is gonna crash and burn, like, 00:04:02.000 --> 00:04:03.291 not today. 00:04:05.416 --> 00:04:07.875 So, I proposed an alternative. 00:04:07.958 --> 00:04:09.958 I said, "Steve, I'm not just gonna be a consultant", 00:04:09.958 --> 00:04:11.791 I'm going to be a partner. 00:04:11.875 --> 00:04:14.500 I'm going to go out and build a Butterfly Pavilion. 00:04:14.583 --> 00:04:16.166 I'm gonna go out and I'm gonna find 00:04:16.250 --> 00:04:18.250 "the money to build this Butterfly Pavilion." 00:04:19.458 --> 00:04:20.708 Steve says, "Fine." 00:04:22.416 --> 00:04:25.916 I went out and found all of the investment capital. 00:04:27.000 --> 00:04:27.958 So along the way, 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:29.333 little things started happening, 00:04:29.416 --> 00:04:31.625 checks would get deposited into the wrong account. 00:04:31.708 --> 00:04:33.208 And at the time, I didn't have 00:04:33.208 --> 00:04:37.083 the bandwidth to pay it much attention. 00:04:37.166 --> 00:04:39.166 The creation process 00:04:39.166 --> 00:04:41.166 was exactly chaos. 00:04:41.250 --> 00:04:43.166 I was doing this in my head. 00:04:43.250 --> 00:04:46.041 I designed the thing in Microsoft Paint. 00:04:46.125 --> 00:04:48.958 And then we just built the Butterfly Pavilion. 00:04:51.416 --> 00:04:54.166 But then roughly two months out from opening, 00:04:54.250 --> 00:04:56.833 I found out that I had miscalculated 00:04:56.833 --> 00:04:58.708 my entire budget by 20%, 00:04:58.791 --> 00:04:59.875 and I'm flat broke. 00:04:59.958 --> 00:05:02.166 But you don't come 00:05:02.166 --> 00:05:03.375 this far to not finish. 00:05:03.458 --> 00:05:05.125 You wouldn't believe. 00:05:05.166 --> 00:05:05.958 Are you okay? 00:05:06.041 --> 00:05:07.541 I'm on 48 hours. 00:05:07.625 --> 00:05:09.833 So, I got two hundred plus thousand 00:05:09.875 --> 00:05:12.083 dollars of high interest credit cards. 00:05:12.166 --> 00:05:14.041 I maxed those credit cards. 00:05:14.125 --> 00:05:16.166 It took us six months, $1.2 million, 00:05:16.208 --> 00:05:19.666 and we built a 7,000 square foot facility. 00:05:20.458 --> 00:05:22.708 I mean, we built that. 00:05:22.791 --> 00:05:23.833 We built that. 00:05:31.958 --> 00:05:33.416 It's the night of grand opening. 00:05:33.500 --> 00:05:36.583 It's the 24th of February 2017. 00:05:36.666 --> 00:05:38.458 Here we are, wow. 00:05:38.541 --> 00:05:39.541 I was supremely happy. 00:05:39.583 --> 00:05:40.791 It is like a rainforest. 00:05:40.875 --> 00:05:41.875 We had the press, 00:05:41.916 --> 00:05:42.958 we had politicians, 00:05:43.041 --> 00:05:44.625 we did the cutting of the ribbon. 00:05:46.333 --> 00:05:48.458 This was on a scale 00:05:48.458 --> 00:05:50.041 that I had never dreamed of. 00:05:50.125 --> 00:05:51.541 And then at the end of that night, 00:05:51.541 --> 00:05:54.083 Chrissy runs upstairs and tells me, 00:05:54.166 --> 00:05:55.625 "John, you gotta go talk to the admin staff, 00:05:55.666 --> 00:05:58.791 uh, the money has been going into the wrong accounts again." 00:05:58.875 --> 00:06:02.708 John alleged that Steve was embezzling from the company. 00:06:02.791 --> 00:06:04.208 I'm looking at the front register. 00:06:04.291 --> 00:06:05.750 And that's my credit card machine. 00:06:05.833 --> 00:06:06.916 So what's this one? 00:06:07.000 --> 00:06:08.791 Steve had been running purchases 00:06:08.875 --> 00:06:11.833 through a non-corporate credit card machine which was dumping 00:06:11.916 --> 00:06:12.958 into bank accounts that I didn't have access to 00:06:12.958 --> 00:06:14.500 and couldn't see. 00:06:15.458 --> 00:06:18.541 He was diverting, like, 50 plus thousand dollars 00:06:18.625 --> 00:06:22.125 at a time when we're broke, 00:06:22.166 --> 00:06:23.416 we don't have anything. 00:06:23.500 --> 00:06:26.166 It's like, listen, you can't do that, 00:06:26.250 --> 00:06:28.416 stealing, stop. 00:06:29.583 --> 00:06:31.125 Is anything else going on? 00:06:34.333 --> 00:06:36.083 John got his parents involved. 00:06:36.166 --> 00:06:37.666 His father, I believe, is an attorney. 00:06:39.750 --> 00:06:41.250 Looking into it, the public 00:06:41.250 --> 00:06:43.916 record was full of all kinds of debt, 00:06:44.000 --> 00:06:46.125 all kinds of mismanagement, and all kinds 00:06:46.125 --> 00:06:48.250 of things that we weren't aware of. 00:06:48.333 --> 00:06:52.208 And it was a real unfortunate situation. 00:06:53.500 --> 00:06:54.916 Apparently, 00:06:54.916 --> 00:06:56.291 Steve has been withholding 00:06:56.375 --> 00:06:57.625 the Social Security and Medicaid payments 00:06:57.666 --> 00:06:59.125 from the employees, 00:06:59.208 --> 00:07:00.833 but then telling the federal government 00:07:00.875 --> 00:07:02.125 that they made zero dollars. 00:07:02.208 --> 00:07:03.750 It's a felony. 00:07:03.875 --> 00:07:06.000 I mean, that's just flat out criminal. 00:07:06.083 --> 00:07:07.416 And he's been doing it for years. 00:07:08.500 --> 00:07:10.041 Turns out that the whole building 00:07:10.083 --> 00:07:12.875 had over a million dollars of back taxes, 00:07:12.958 --> 00:07:15.333 liens, and judgments on it, 00:07:15.416 --> 00:07:18.333 which now was legally, my problem. 00:07:20.666 --> 00:07:22.333 But it was over a short period of time 00:07:22.333 --> 00:07:23.833 it went from 00:07:23.916 --> 00:07:25.666 he's a very good businessman to... 00:07:25.708 --> 00:07:27.458 There you go. 00:07:27.541 --> 00:07:28.791 Oh, my God. 00:07:30.000 --> 00:07:32.958 My-My favorite one, how the heck 00:07:33.000 --> 00:07:34.666 did I miscalculate my budget by 20%? 00:07:34.750 --> 00:07:35.916 Oh, I didn't, I didn't, it was, uh, 00:07:35.958 --> 00:07:38.625 him submitting duplicate invoices, 00:07:39.916 --> 00:07:41.041 except I didn't get to see 00:07:41.083 --> 00:07:42.375 that second part of the money 00:07:42.458 --> 00:07:43.666 that just went straight to Steve. 00:07:43.750 --> 00:07:45.458 After everything came out 00:07:45.458 --> 00:07:47.625 and we finally realized the scope, 00:07:47.708 --> 00:07:49.291 I am sitting there 00:07:49.333 --> 00:07:51.666 looking at all of these 00:07:51.708 --> 00:07:53.375 landmines and saying to myself, 00:07:53.458 --> 00:07:56.500 "Oh, my gosh, what do I do?" 00:07:56.583 --> 00:08:00.041 In the confines of the laboratory cage, the two males fight. 00:08:00.125 --> 00:08:02.875 Steve lied to me and had me 00:08:02.958 --> 00:08:04.041 take over a million dollars 00:08:04.041 --> 00:08:06.333 of debt on my head. 00:08:06.416 --> 00:08:08.291 I got totally. 00:08:08.375 --> 00:08:10.458 We called an outside attorney to come in there 00:08:10.541 --> 00:08:11.625 and verify what's going on. 00:08:11.625 --> 00:08:13.291 And this is all the evidence we got. 00:08:13.375 --> 00:08:16.000 The other attorney was the one that really said... 00:08:16.083 --> 00:08:17.375 You can't do this. 00:08:17.416 --> 00:08:18.500 You can't come in the store. 00:08:18.583 --> 00:08:20.875 You cannot... you cannot have any part of this. 00:08:20.958 --> 00:08:23.208 I think this was the tipping point 00:08:23.291 --> 00:08:25.666 in separating Steve's association 00:08:25.666 --> 00:08:27.583 with the Insectarium. 00:08:27.666 --> 00:08:29.541 And I believe that's when 00:08:29.583 --> 00:08:31.125 the civil litigation was initiated. 00:08:32.500 --> 00:08:34.791 There was a myriad of different court cases, 00:08:34.875 --> 00:08:36.875 some of which we are still in and some of which 00:08:36.958 --> 00:08:38.541 I've already started to wrap up. 00:08:39.875 --> 00:08:42.166 Judge found Steve guilty 00:08:42.208 --> 00:08:43.625 of fraud and embezzlement. 00:08:45.250 --> 00:08:47.083 We've got over a million dollars 00:08:47.083 --> 00:08:48.541 of judgments against Steve right now, 00:08:48.625 --> 00:08:50.500 which are worthless 00:08:50.541 --> 00:08:53.000 because the dude is extra broke. 00:08:53.083 --> 00:08:56.208 I didn't come here to try and take over the museum. 00:08:56.291 --> 00:08:57.625 All he had to do 00:08:57.666 --> 00:08:59.000 was not * me 00:08:59.041 --> 00:09:00.916 and everything would have been fine. 00:09:01.000 --> 00:09:02.458 That's not what happened. 00:09:05.041 --> 00:09:07.416 The result of that litigation 00:09:07.458 --> 00:09:09.541 gave control of the Insectarium 00:09:09.625 --> 00:09:11.458 and the Butterfly Pavilion 00:09:11.541 --> 00:09:13.541 to John and his parents. 00:09:16.125 --> 00:09:18.208 After Steve had been removed, 00:09:18.250 --> 00:09:19.750 I not only moved into this place 00:09:19.833 --> 00:09:20.875 because I didn't have any money. 00:09:20.916 --> 00:09:22.083 I moved into this place 00:09:22.125 --> 00:09:23.708 because I had to protect it at night. 00:09:23.791 --> 00:09:26.208 Steve's people would come and lock our gates 00:09:26.291 --> 00:09:29.833 and they would weld our gates shut. 00:09:29.916 --> 00:09:31.625 It was very scary for a while. 00:09:33.625 --> 00:09:34.625 So after the heist, 00:09:34.666 --> 00:09:36.458 it would have been impossible for us 00:09:36.541 --> 00:09:39.500 not to think that Steve was involved. 00:09:39.583 --> 00:09:41.500 John indicated the heist 00:09:41.541 --> 00:09:43.666 could have been Steve's doing 00:09:43.750 --> 00:09:45.750 because of this civil litigation. 00:09:47.041 --> 00:09:48.625 Steve certainly would have been happy 00:09:48.625 --> 00:09:50.500 to see the museum hurt. 00:09:50.583 --> 00:09:53.500 And you can't help but suspect the guy who's just spent, 00:09:53.583 --> 00:09:55.416 you know, the last several years 00:09:55.416 --> 00:09:56.708 trying to steal all the other things 00:09:56.791 --> 00:09:58.625 when all of your insects go missing. 00:10:10.666 --> 00:10:12.958 John thought that Steve 00:10:12.958 --> 00:10:14.541 may have been responsible for the heist. 00:10:14.625 --> 00:10:17.250 But if having been barred from the museum, 00:10:17.333 --> 00:10:18.750 it didn't seem that he had 00:10:18.791 --> 00:10:19.625 access to the building. 00:10:21.041 --> 00:10:22.833 I think as soon as Steve walked on that property, 00:10:22.833 --> 00:10:24.125 he would have been swarmed and never 00:10:24.166 --> 00:10:25.875 would've had a chance to do anything. 00:10:25.958 --> 00:10:27.125 You could say he had motive, 00:10:27.208 --> 00:10:29.750 but I don't think he had means or opportunity. 00:10:29.833 --> 00:10:32.333 At that point, Chris and Alison 00:10:32.375 --> 00:10:33.875 were receiving intense scrutiny 00:10:33.958 --> 00:10:36.333 from the authorities as suspects in this matter. 00:10:36.416 --> 00:10:37.666 I needed to expand the search 00:10:37.666 --> 00:10:39.250 to look at other employees 00:10:39.333 --> 00:10:41.500 for any possible motive. 00:10:41.583 --> 00:10:45.166 Your boy made it in Ripley's Believe It or Not! 00:10:45.250 --> 00:10:47.875 Oh, look at that. 00:10:49.958 --> 00:10:52.125 Kelvin had started as an intern 00:10:52.208 --> 00:10:54.041 and worked his way into a permanent position 00:10:54.083 --> 00:10:55.916 at the animal care unit. 00:10:57.708 --> 00:10:59.416 Kelvin was one of those people 00:10:59.416 --> 00:11:01.375 that wanted to be followed. 00:11:01.458 --> 00:11:03.666 Please hit that subscribe button. 00:11:03.750 --> 00:11:05.458 He gained fame by putting a bunch 00:11:05.500 --> 00:11:07.708 of different types of inverts on his face. 00:11:10.291 --> 00:11:11.833 Oh, Kelvin, Kelvin was great. 00:11:11.916 --> 00:11:13.250 He understood bugs. 00:11:14.958 --> 00:11:17.166 Director: What do you know about the heist at the insectarium? 00:11:17.208 --> 00:11:20.708 I wasn't there the day it happened. 00:11:20.791 --> 00:11:23.041 I can't personally say who did what, 00:11:23.083 --> 00:11:24.416 who, you know what I mean? 00:11:24.500 --> 00:11:25.333 I wasn't there. 00:11:25.333 --> 00:11:26.666 I can't point any names. 00:11:26.750 --> 00:11:27.875 I, I don't know. 00:11:29.333 --> 00:11:30.083 I did hear that 00:11:30.125 --> 00:11:32.291 when the heist was going on, 00:11:32.375 --> 00:11:34.750 he kinda was, like, scared for some reason, 00:11:34.750 --> 00:11:35.666 he quit. 00:11:37.250 --> 00:11:38.083 In Kelvin's case, 00:11:38.083 --> 00:11:39.541 the fact that he quit 00:11:39.625 --> 00:11:41.375 right after the heist would set off 00:11:41.416 --> 00:11:43.166 some bells to any investigator, 00:11:43.250 --> 00:11:45.083 it would be a cause for concern. 00:11:52.708 --> 00:11:53.833 Director: And what about Kinzler? 00:11:53.833 --> 00:11:54.916 Who's this guy? 00:11:56.291 --> 00:11:58.375 Kinzler is an unusual character. 00:11:58.458 --> 00:11:59.291 Yo, Kinzler. 00:11:59.291 --> 00:12:00.541 Coming down. 00:12:00.625 --> 00:12:01.625 Yeah. 00:12:02.333 --> 00:12:03.250 John: Kinzler... 00:12:03.333 --> 00:12:05.041 I know, I know. 00:12:05.041 --> 00:12:06.416 But, like... OSHA. 00:12:06.500 --> 00:12:07.416 Hmm? 00:12:07.500 --> 00:12:08.833 And now it's on camera. 00:12:08.833 --> 00:12:10.166 Don't fg do that. 00:12:10.250 --> 00:12:10.958 Kinzler: You said don't do it 00:12:11.000 --> 00:12:11.333 when you are around. 00:12:11.375 --> 00:12:12.291 Don't, don't do that. 00:12:12.375 --> 00:12:14.000 Of all the employees, 00:12:14.041 --> 00:12:15.666 Kinzler is the one 00:12:15.750 --> 00:12:18.166 with a laundry list of past criminal charges. 00:12:20.333 --> 00:12:22.166 I think cops are cool. 00:12:22.250 --> 00:12:24.375 They just * 00:12:24.375 --> 00:12:25.958 when they do their job with me. 00:12:29.916 --> 00:12:32.166 We do complete backgrounds on people 00:12:32.250 --> 00:12:35.333 where we look for commonalities between crimes. 00:12:35.416 --> 00:12:37.250 One of those charges included 00:12:37.291 --> 00:12:40.208 theft at his former employer. 00:12:40.291 --> 00:12:41.541 And it was, uh, somewhat 00:12:41.541 --> 00:12:43.916 similar to the bug heist. 00:12:44.000 --> 00:12:46.041 We needed to take a much closer look 00:12:46.041 --> 00:12:47.791 at that later on down the road. 00:12:47.875 --> 00:12:50.750 But, then we got some new information. 00:12:50.833 --> 00:12:52.958 At one of the interviews that was done, 00:12:53.041 --> 00:12:55.958 we learned that there's, like, shows, 00:12:56.041 --> 00:12:59.583 where they buy, sell, and trade bugs. 00:12:59.666 --> 00:13:01.416 And sometimes these are connected 00:13:01.416 --> 00:13:03.875 to the underworld of the bug market. 00:13:05.125 --> 00:13:07.291 I thought there has to be 00:13:07.333 --> 00:13:09.458 employees that were actively involved 00:13:09.541 --> 00:13:12.250 in going to insect fairs and trading in bugs, 00:13:12.333 --> 00:13:14.375 selling bugs, transporting bugs, 00:13:14.416 --> 00:13:15.291 and so forth. 00:13:15.375 --> 00:13:18.000 One individual stood out. 00:13:18.125 --> 00:13:19.291 - Two things. - Director: Yeah. 00:13:19.375 --> 00:13:20.291 Wlodek: One, I'm tired, 00:13:20.375 --> 00:13:22.416 and two, I have a heavy Polish accent, 00:13:22.416 --> 00:13:23.708 just to give you a heads up, okay? 00:13:23.791 --> 00:13:26.625 I am Wlodzimie Lapkiewicz. 00:13:26.708 --> 00:13:28.416 It's Wlodek for short, but Wlodzimie 00:13:28.458 --> 00:13:30.000 is just my full name. 00:13:30.958 --> 00:13:34.833 Wlodek was an employee of the Insectarium 00:13:34.916 --> 00:13:37.083 and very, very involved in the hobby. 00:13:37.166 --> 00:13:39.291 He had international contacts, 00:13:39.333 --> 00:13:40.875 and was well known, 00:13:40.958 --> 00:13:42.125 uh, at these markets and fairs 00:13:42.125 --> 00:13:44.541 where, uh, bugs were sold. 00:13:45.416 --> 00:13:47.166 Director: Did you know Steve Kanya? 00:13:47.250 --> 00:13:49.291 Wlodek: Yes, so I keep in touch with Steve. 00:13:49.375 --> 00:13:50.500 Director: You do now? Oh, okay. 00:13:50.500 --> 00:13:52.333 Yeah. 00:13:52.416 --> 00:13:55.041 I believe this is a critical connection to this case. 00:13:55.125 --> 00:13:56.041 He was someone that, 00:13:56.083 --> 00:13:58.125 uh, deserved a closer scrutiny. 00:14:00.000 --> 00:14:02.875 Wlodek is actually quite well known around the world 00:14:02.958 --> 00:14:04.666 for his abilities to keep 00:14:04.708 --> 00:14:06.916 and breed specifically mantises. 00:14:07.000 --> 00:14:10.250 He was a master of husbandry. 00:14:10.333 --> 00:14:12.208 He had a couple other specialties also. 00:14:12.291 --> 00:14:15.000 So he was the person I initially brought in 00:14:15.083 --> 00:14:17.708 to help build up 00:14:17.708 --> 00:14:18.833 the Insectarium's living collection. 00:14:18.916 --> 00:14:19.958 He was really knowledgeable. 00:14:20.000 --> 00:14:21.208 I like the guy. 00:14:21.291 --> 00:14:24.083 He was really... he was... he was quirky, 00:14:24.125 --> 00:14:25.500 uh, but he knew his stuff. 00:14:30.333 --> 00:14:31.583 Wlodek: What John wanted is that 00:14:31.625 --> 00:14:32.541 he wanted someone who 00:14:32.625 --> 00:14:34.125 would know where to get insects from 00:14:34.208 --> 00:14:35.125 and keep them alive, 00:14:35.208 --> 00:14:36.333 So that was my job. 00:14:36.583 --> 00:14:38.125 So from my personal collection, 00:14:38.208 --> 00:14:39.250 I was bringing, like, in things like 00:14:39.250 --> 00:14:40.166 tarantulas, 00:14:40.250 --> 00:14:41.250 praying mantis, 00:14:41.791 --> 00:14:43.000 Like, you know, stick insects. 00:14:43.500 --> 00:14:44.833 I look over there and there's like 00:14:44.916 --> 00:14:46.541 one Vietnamese stick insect. 00:14:47.291 --> 00:14:48.291 That's nothing. 00:14:50.250 --> 00:14:51.708 And then after like six months, 00:14:51.791 --> 00:14:53.416 we had, like, hundreds of them because 00:14:53.500 --> 00:14:54.541 I told the people 00:14:54.541 --> 00:14:55.958 who were taking care of the insects, 00:14:56.041 --> 00:14:58.208 you need to feed them this specific plant, 00:14:58.291 --> 00:14:59.375 this is the amount of time that 00:14:59.416 --> 00:15:00.500 they require to hatch, 00:15:00.583 --> 00:15:02.125 or how many life stages they have. 00:15:02.833 --> 00:15:04.458 And once I started working over there, 00:15:04.500 --> 00:15:05.083 things started to 00:15:05.166 --> 00:15:06.416 take shape because finally 00:15:06.458 --> 00:15:07.500 they have someone who 00:15:07.583 --> 00:15:10.250 has the proper knowledge to actually take care of all those 00:15:10.333 --> 00:15:11.833 living animals over there. 00:15:13.000 --> 00:15:15.166 Wlodek was one of the most knowledgeable people 00:15:15.250 --> 00:15:18.916 I've ever met on the topic of insects. 00:15:19.000 --> 00:15:20.416 We were very, very close. 00:15:20.500 --> 00:15:21.916 We were very good friends, 00:15:21.916 --> 00:15:22.833 he trained me. 00:15:22.916 --> 00:15:24.666 He kind of took me under his wing 00:15:24.708 --> 00:15:26.458 and really just showed me 00:15:26.541 --> 00:15:28.166 how to run the place. 00:15:30.041 --> 00:15:32.666 Insects were Wlodek's passion. 00:15:32.750 --> 00:15:34.166 He was able to get his hands on 00:15:34.166 --> 00:15:36.500 just about anything you could think of. 00:15:36.583 --> 00:15:38.291 But there was no limit to him. 00:15:38.375 --> 00:15:39.375 He liked to go out 00:15:39.416 --> 00:15:40.833 and find what he wanted. 00:15:40.916 --> 00:15:44.208 And it didn't matter if it was legal or not. 00:15:47.083 --> 00:15:50.041 As great as a guy he is, 00:15:50.125 --> 00:15:53.416 he did get into some legal trouble with insects. 00:15:54.875 --> 00:15:57.166 Wlodek was involved 00:15:57.166 --> 00:15:59.416 in the shady side of the hobby. 00:15:59.500 --> 00:16:01.875 He would tell me 00:16:01.916 --> 00:16:04.000 never to do what he was doing 00:16:05.958 --> 00:16:07.416 to try to keep me as far away 00:16:07.416 --> 00:16:09.791 from it as possible. 00:16:09.875 --> 00:16:10.916 He did not want me 00:16:10.958 --> 00:16:12.416 caught up in anything 00:16:12.458 --> 00:16:14.791 that I didn't need to be caught up in. 00:16:17.541 --> 00:16:18.958 Wlodek: So right now we are heading 00:16:19.041 --> 00:16:20.416 to the Long Island reptile show. 00:16:20.708 --> 00:16:23.208 And this reptile show is like twice a year. 00:16:23.291 --> 00:16:25.125 Insect and reptile shows 00:16:25.125 --> 00:16:25.958 are really shady. 00:16:26.041 --> 00:16:28.291 It's more of a gathering to make it 00:16:28.333 --> 00:16:30.583 look like it's all hunky-dory 00:16:30.666 --> 00:16:31.791 and oh, this is all legal 00:16:31.833 --> 00:16:33.166 and it's just a bunch of people 00:16:33.250 --> 00:16:34.333 that are sharing their passion 00:16:34.375 --> 00:16:35.083 and changing out 00:16:35.166 --> 00:16:37.416 and their collection of this collection. 00:16:37.500 --> 00:16:40.000 But majority of it is 00:16:40.000 --> 00:16:42.458 completely illegal. 00:16:42.541 --> 00:16:43.541 You'll have things 00:16:43.583 --> 00:16:45.375 like tarantulas and scorpions 00:16:45.458 --> 00:16:46.750 on top of the table. 00:16:46.791 --> 00:16:48.250 And then you'll have things 00:16:48.291 --> 00:16:49.500 like walking sticks 00:16:49.583 --> 00:16:50.541 and praying mantis 00:16:50.541 --> 00:16:52.875 that are illegal underneath the table. 00:16:58.291 --> 00:16:59.583 Wlodek: It's here somewhere. 00:16:59.625 --> 00:17:00.041 Yeah. 00:17:01.708 --> 00:17:03.166 Oh nice. 00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:06.500 Wlodek clearly knew this market, 00:17:06.583 --> 00:17:08.416 the ins and outs and who to contact 00:17:08.458 --> 00:17:10.833 to affect some of these sales. 00:17:14.083 --> 00:17:15.458 He had a lot of stuff 00:17:15.500 --> 00:17:17.833 that we weren't supposed to have. 00:17:17.916 --> 00:17:21.125 And he would sell out before lunch 00:17:21.166 --> 00:17:23.666 and make thousands of dollars. 00:17:23.750 --> 00:17:25.791 We'd be packing up in the middle of the day 00:17:25.791 --> 00:17:26.875 because he had sold everything. 00:17:26.958 --> 00:17:29.250 He kept bringing in shipments 00:17:29.333 --> 00:17:30.875 and then immediately 00:17:30.875 --> 00:17:32.458 posting photos on Facebook. 00:17:33.541 --> 00:17:34.875 I got these giant millipedes. 00:17:34.958 --> 00:17:37.375 I got these Pandinus dictator scorpions 00:17:37.416 --> 00:17:39.250 which are illegally smuggled out. 00:17:39.333 --> 00:17:41.208 He kept making more and more posts. 00:17:43.000 --> 00:17:46.291 From there, dealers have them sent in the mail. 00:17:46.375 --> 00:17:48.583 That's how a lot of species 00:17:48.583 --> 00:17:50.208 have come into the hobby. 00:17:50.291 --> 00:17:53.000 They're almost all sent through the mail. 00:17:53.083 --> 00:17:57.041 There's a constant discussion on the internet chat groups 00:17:57.125 --> 00:17:59.125 about the term brown boxing. 00:17:59.208 --> 00:18:00.833 It just means that it was brought 00:18:00.833 --> 00:18:02.416 in without paperwork. 00:18:02.500 --> 00:18:04.583 Brown boxing is illegal 00:18:04.583 --> 00:18:06.625 and for good reason. 00:18:06.708 --> 00:18:08.791 It will be shipped from overseas, 00:18:08.791 --> 00:18:10.625 usually described as something 00:18:10.750 --> 00:18:14.208 that would look similar on x-ray. 00:18:14.291 --> 00:18:16.083 And then have the insects hidden 00:18:16.083 --> 00:18:18.291 somewhere in that item. 00:18:18.375 --> 00:18:19.833 He was buying and selling these bugs 00:18:19.833 --> 00:18:22.333 using the US Mail. 00:18:22.416 --> 00:18:24.708 It appeared that Wlodek 00:18:24.750 --> 00:18:26.666 was making a substantial income 00:18:26.750 --> 00:18:28.000 from this activity. 00:18:28.083 --> 00:18:29.916 Wlodek kept bringing in shipments 00:18:29.916 --> 00:18:31.458 from around the world. 00:18:31.541 --> 00:18:32.666 I talked to him and I said, 00:18:32.666 --> 00:18:33.666 "Look, you can't do this. 00:18:33.750 --> 00:18:35.750 You can't keep bringing this stuff in. 00:18:35.833 --> 00:18:37.416 You're gonna get caught." 00:18:37.500 --> 00:18:38.625 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife 00:18:38.625 --> 00:18:39.333 doesn't mess around, 00:18:39.375 --> 00:18:40.916 they're on the boards, 00:18:40.958 --> 00:18:42.500 you can't just flaunt 00:18:42.583 --> 00:18:45.000 all the stuff that you're bringing in. 00:18:45.083 --> 00:18:46.583 Okay, you ready? 00:18:48.750 --> 00:18:50.375 My name is Ed Newcomer. 00:18:50.458 --> 00:18:52.833 I'm a special agent with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 00:18:55.416 --> 00:18:56.750 Trading on the internet, 00:18:56.750 --> 00:18:58.708 buyer and seller beware. 00:18:58.791 --> 00:18:59.750 We will come after you 00:18:59.750 --> 00:19:01.083 and we will catch you 00:19:01.166 --> 00:19:02.708 and we will put you in jail. 00:19:10.458 --> 00:19:12.458 In my time with the FBI, 00:19:12.500 --> 00:19:14.291 I worked on cases involving people 00:19:14.375 --> 00:19:15.916 who smuggle specific items. 00:19:16.000 --> 00:19:18.250 It could be cars, 00:19:18.333 --> 00:19:20.458 it could be, artwork, 00:19:20.541 --> 00:19:21.541 it could be jewelry, 00:19:21.625 --> 00:19:23.625 any number of items. 00:19:23.708 --> 00:19:26.000 But in dealing with the smuggling of exotic animals, 00:19:26.041 --> 00:19:27.416 with bugs, 00:19:27.500 --> 00:19:29.958 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Agency 00:19:29.958 --> 00:19:32.791 is the primary agency. 00:19:32.875 --> 00:19:34.083 They are the experts. 00:19:34.125 --> 00:19:35.333 This is their venue. 00:19:35.416 --> 00:19:37.000 They know the ins and outs of the trade. 00:19:37.083 --> 00:19:38.416 They deal with this all the time. 00:19:40.500 --> 00:19:42.375 I know at one point, 00:19:42.375 --> 00:19:44.500 different entities had been bought in. 00:19:44.583 --> 00:19:46.916 There was acronyms of government agencies 00:19:46.916 --> 00:19:48.666 that I had never even knew existed. 00:19:48.750 --> 00:19:51.125 Different entities like game and wildlife 00:19:51.208 --> 00:19:54.916 getting involved was a huge help to us to get us acclimated 00:19:55.000 --> 00:19:56.333 and know what we are looking for. 00:19:58.166 --> 00:20:01.125 We did a lot of research trying to learn 00:20:01.208 --> 00:20:03.333 and you wind up on the internet for hours 00:20:03.416 --> 00:20:06.583 like finding out 00:20:06.583 --> 00:20:07.625 about the underworld of bugs. 00:20:07.708 --> 00:20:08.833 I spent a lot of time 00:20:08.875 --> 00:20:10.208 researching the market, 00:20:10.291 --> 00:20:12.541 speaking to independent witnesses, 00:20:12.625 --> 00:20:14.791 contacting universities, finding out 00:20:14.833 --> 00:20:16.583 what these bugs could actually be worth. 00:20:20.416 --> 00:20:22.583 There is and has long been 00:20:22.583 --> 00:20:24.791 a black market in insects 00:20:24.875 --> 00:20:26.333 all around the world. 00:20:28.166 --> 00:20:30.208 It exists for a number of different reasons. 00:20:30.291 --> 00:20:32.666 One, of course, is that there are 00:20:32.708 --> 00:20:34.333 some stringent laws in many countries 00:20:34.416 --> 00:20:35.916 that do not allow you to easily trade 00:20:35.958 --> 00:20:38.708 or acquire different insect specimens. 00:20:39.833 --> 00:20:42.541 In those cases, people are always willing 00:20:42.541 --> 00:20:43.958 to circumvent those systems in place 00:20:44.041 --> 00:20:45.833 to try and get illegal insects. 00:20:45.916 --> 00:20:47.416 A Czech national has been fined $2,000 00:20:47.416 --> 00:20:49.875 for allegedly trying to smuggle 00:20:49.958 --> 00:20:51.166 thousands of insects. 00:20:51.250 --> 00:20:52.375 Butterflies, targets 00:20:52.416 --> 00:20:55.666 of an underground smuggling network. 00:20:55.750 --> 00:20:58.083 Wildlife crime is a huge, huge business. 00:21:01.750 --> 00:21:05.000 When it comes to describing the insect trade, 00:21:05.083 --> 00:21:06.958 particularly the illegal trade, 00:21:07.000 --> 00:21:08.875 it's, it's very diverse. 00:21:10.291 --> 00:21:12.208 It could be very common insects 00:21:12.250 --> 00:21:14.166 that are not threatened or endangered. 00:21:14.250 --> 00:21:16.083 But there's also a lot of interest 00:21:16.125 --> 00:21:18.833 among high-end collectors for very rare, 00:21:18.916 --> 00:21:20.833 very unique insects, 00:21:20.916 --> 00:21:23.833 many of which are protected by international treaty, 00:21:23.916 --> 00:21:26.750 foreign laws or US federal law. 00:21:26.833 --> 00:21:30.416 The trade in illegal wildlife 00:21:30.458 --> 00:21:32.208 runs anywhere from 15 to 20 plus 00:21:32.291 --> 00:21:34.125 billion dollars a year. 00:21:34.208 --> 00:21:36.958 This is a rapidly escalating 00:21:36.958 --> 00:21:39.333 illegal trade in wildlife products. 00:21:39.375 --> 00:21:41.458 This is what people don't realize, 00:21:41.541 --> 00:21:44.916 how widespread the illegal wildlife trade is. 00:21:45.000 --> 00:21:46.250 I'm Jessica Speart, 00:21:46.250 --> 00:21:47.291 writer. 00:21:47.375 --> 00:21:48.958 And all I write about is wildlife 00:21:49.000 --> 00:21:50.583 and endangered wildlife. 00:21:51.791 --> 00:21:52.958 - Right. - I didn't even realize 00:21:53.000 --> 00:21:54.833 it was such a major concern. 00:21:54.916 --> 00:21:57.125 I didn't know either 00:21:57.166 --> 00:21:59.375 until I started getting into this. 00:21:59.458 --> 00:22:01.500 Everybody thinks of bugs 00:22:01.500 --> 00:22:03.541 or butterflies as, 00:22:03.625 --> 00:22:05.125 "What's the big deal?" 00:22:05.208 --> 00:22:07.916 What they don't realize is there is 00:22:07.916 --> 00:22:10.083 a huge criminal element to it. 00:22:10.166 --> 00:22:13.750 Who would ever think that a beetle 00:22:13.833 --> 00:22:16.875 could go for almost $100,000? 00:22:16.958 --> 00:22:18.083 But it did. 00:22:19.708 --> 00:22:21.583 Where there is so much money to be made, 00:22:21.666 --> 00:22:24.333 there is going to be a criminal network. 00:22:24.416 --> 00:22:25.833 Butterflies and bugs are right up there 00:22:25.875 --> 00:22:28.166 with everything else. 00:22:28.250 --> 00:22:29.666 Watch closely now, 00:22:29.708 --> 00:22:31.583 this indescribably beautiful creation. 00:22:33.333 --> 00:22:36.250 Butterflies in many countries are very valuable. 00:22:36.333 --> 00:22:39.041 The sticker prices can be quite shocking. 00:22:39.125 --> 00:22:40.833 When you start getting into the larger butterflies 00:22:40.875 --> 00:22:42.666 that are listed as endangered, 00:22:42.708 --> 00:22:44.125 you can literally get into the thousands 00:22:44.208 --> 00:22:46.875 or tens of thousands of dollars. 00:22:46.958 --> 00:22:48.625 I always do my research. 00:22:48.708 --> 00:22:49.208 So we had learned 00:22:49.208 --> 00:22:50.708 about the international trade 00:22:50.791 --> 00:22:53.125 and the illegality of some of these insects 00:22:53.166 --> 00:22:54.375 coming into the country 00:22:54.458 --> 00:22:55.541 or going out of the country 00:22:55.541 --> 00:22:57.458 or landed in private hands. 00:22:57.541 --> 00:22:59.208 We came across the Yoshi Kojima 00:22:59.250 --> 00:23:01.333 investigation 00:23:01.416 --> 00:23:03.833 that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 00:23:03.875 --> 00:23:05.750 conducted several years ago. 00:23:05.833 --> 00:23:08.250 That case was extremely helpful. 00:23:09.375 --> 00:23:10.750 Although illegal trade in wildlife 00:23:10.791 --> 00:23:11.458 isn't new, 00:23:11.541 --> 00:23:13.041 the concept of butterfly smuggling 00:23:13.041 --> 00:23:15.041 was brought to light a few years ago 00:23:15.125 --> 00:23:17.291 with the arrest of Yoshi Kojima. 00:23:17.375 --> 00:23:19.416 Jessica Speart went halfway around the world 00:23:19.500 --> 00:23:22.208 to learn more about this elusive criminal. 00:23:22.291 --> 00:23:25.000 I got a call from an agent 00:23:25.000 --> 00:23:26.541 at Fish and Wildlife that I had worked with, 00:23:26.625 --> 00:23:28.541 and he said, "We just did a case." 00:23:28.625 --> 00:23:30.875 It's the craziest case we've ever done." 00:23:30.875 --> 00:23:32.500 It is such a cat and mouse case. 00:23:32.583 --> 00:23:34.833 It's on this guy Yoshi Kojima. 00:23:34.916 --> 00:23:38.250 Yoshi Kojima is a notorious butterfly smuggler. 00:23:38.333 --> 00:23:39.333 He made millions? 00:23:39.416 --> 00:23:41.750 He made a lot of money. 00:23:41.833 --> 00:23:45.291 He's been running rampant in the US for years, 00:23:45.375 --> 00:23:47.625 has never gotten a penalty. 00:23:47.708 --> 00:23:49.208 So Fish and Wildlife 00:23:49.208 --> 00:23:50.125 held a grudge 00:23:50.166 --> 00:23:51.166 and that's when they gave it to Ed. 00:23:53.166 --> 00:23:54.375 This is where it all started. 00:23:54.458 --> 00:23:56.041 Right, the Museum of Natural History 00:23:56.041 --> 00:23:58.250 is the first place I met Yoshi. 00:23:58.333 --> 00:23:59.250 The occasion? 00:23:59.333 --> 00:24:02.125 The museum's 2003 Bug Festival. 00:24:02.208 --> 00:24:04.416 Newcomer introduced himself to Kojima 00:24:04.458 --> 00:24:05.541 as a rookie collector. 00:24:05.625 --> 00:24:09.041 It also started the relationship critical to this stain. 00:24:10.166 --> 00:24:11.666 Kojima wanted to meet with me 00:24:11.708 --> 00:24:13.500 and actually outlined a scheme 00:24:13.583 --> 00:24:15.916 where he would send protected butterflies 00:24:15.958 --> 00:24:17.625 to me in the United States. 00:24:17.708 --> 00:24:19.958 And I would facilitate putting them 00:24:20.000 --> 00:24:21.958 on eBay and selling them that way. 00:24:22.041 --> 00:24:23.625 And then we would share in the profits. 00:24:24.541 --> 00:24:26.333 I knew immediately that the only reason 00:24:26.375 --> 00:24:27.750 he wanted my involvement 00:24:27.833 --> 00:24:30.041 was if Fish and Wildlife Service or any 00:24:30.041 --> 00:24:32.291 other law enforcement agency came calling, 00:24:32.375 --> 00:24:34.750 he was setting me up to take the fall. 00:24:34.833 --> 00:24:35.833 That was clear. 00:24:35.916 --> 00:24:38.250 Yoshi was very nice to Ed 00:24:38.291 --> 00:24:40.125 because Ed was young, 00:24:40.208 --> 00:24:42.250 had no history in the insect trade. 00:24:42.333 --> 00:24:44.416 And so Yoshi decides maybe 00:24:44.416 --> 00:24:46.500 they should go into business together, 00:24:46.583 --> 00:24:48.625 but they're gonna do it on Skype. 00:24:48.708 --> 00:24:49.916 Everybody knows 00:24:49.916 --> 00:24:52.041 you're the number one smuggler. 00:24:53.541 --> 00:24:54.541 Yoshi: That's true. 00:24:55.333 --> 00:24:57.208 Over a period of months, 00:24:57.291 --> 00:25:00.166 while we were talking on Skype almost nightly, 00:25:00.250 --> 00:25:02.958 it was very clear that he had developed an attraction to me, 00:25:03.041 --> 00:25:06.083 almost a junior high school crush. 00:25:06.166 --> 00:25:07.458 And that's when it really opened the door 00:25:07.458 --> 00:25:10.166 to the illegal butterfly sales 00:25:10.250 --> 00:25:11.958 between him to me. 00:25:13.125 --> 00:25:14.125 Yoshi: You can see right? 00:25:14.166 --> 00:25:15.083 Yeah. 00:25:15.166 --> 00:25:16.000 During that time, 00:25:16.000 --> 00:25:17.500 he had offered to sell me 00:25:17.583 --> 00:25:19.791 approximately $300,000 00:25:19.833 --> 00:25:21.750 worth of protected butterflies. 00:25:21.833 --> 00:25:24.083 What were you saying about cash and not, 00:25:24.166 --> 00:25:26.666 not having a bank and checks? 00:25:26.875 --> 00:25:28.416 Yoshi: You must be careful. 00:25:28.500 --> 00:25:30.416 Have no evidence. Give cash. 00:25:30.500 --> 00:25:31.333 Oh, you mean like Fish and Wildlife 00:25:31.333 --> 00:25:32.333 would have evidence. 00:25:32.333 --> 00:25:33.333 Yeah. 00:25:34.416 --> 00:25:38.083 In the end, we amassed a great case against him. 00:25:38.166 --> 00:25:40.208 Multiple 13 or 14 count indictment, 00:25:40.250 --> 00:25:42.291 all felonies, 00:25:42.375 --> 00:25:44.500 and we were able to obtain an arrest warrant. 00:25:48.291 --> 00:25:50.750 Now we have to get our hands on Kojima, 00:25:50.791 --> 00:25:52.000 who's in Japan. 00:25:52.083 --> 00:25:54.708 I realized if I promised him a date, 00:25:54.791 --> 00:25:57.791 it would be one more reason for him to wanna come to the United States. 00:25:58.208 --> 00:25:59.416 Yoshi: Can I take your picture? 00:25:59.458 --> 00:26:00.625 Do me a favor 00:26:01.041 --> 00:26:02.041 can I see your 00:26:02.125 --> 00:26:03.125 beautiful thing. 00:26:03.208 --> 00:26:05.083 Then I can sleep tonight. 00:26:05.541 --> 00:26:07.625 Not until you come to LA. 00:26:08.291 --> 00:26:09.583 Oh, okay. 00:26:09.666 --> 00:26:12.666 Now, I also owed him several thousand dollars. 00:26:12.750 --> 00:26:14.875 Which certainly didn't hurt. 00:26:14.958 --> 00:26:16.291 So that put him on a plane 00:26:16.291 --> 00:26:17.916 and as soon as he arrived in Los Angeles, 00:26:18.000 --> 00:26:19.375 we arrested him. 00:26:20.791 --> 00:26:23.208 Kojima pled guilty to multiple felonies 00:26:23.208 --> 00:26:24.375 including smuggling 00:26:24.458 --> 00:26:26.708 and is serving 21 months behind bars. 00:26:26.791 --> 00:26:29.208 Though if he's smart, he'll come up 00:26:29.208 --> 00:26:30.708 with a better story for his cellmate. 00:26:33.041 --> 00:26:33.916 They arrest him, 00:26:33.958 --> 00:26:35.666 Ed walks in and Yoshi thinks, 00:26:35.750 --> 00:26:38.000 "Oh, my God, reset my bail." 00:26:38.083 --> 00:26:41.375 And then he realizes who Ed is 00:26:41.458 --> 00:26:43.208 and shows him the badge, 00:26:43.291 --> 00:26:45.625 "You were Fish and Wildlife all this time." 00:26:45.708 --> 00:26:46.791 "Yeah." 00:26:46.875 --> 00:26:48.541 He sees the wedding ring, 00:26:48.625 --> 00:26:51.541 "You were married all this time?" 00:26:51.625 --> 00:26:53.166 "Yeah." 00:26:53.250 --> 00:26:55.250 And to Yoshi, 00:26:55.333 --> 00:26:57.666 I think it was the ultimate betrayal 00:26:57.750 --> 00:26:59.791 and in a sense, it broke his heart. 00:27:01.375 --> 00:27:03.083 Ed's case got a lot of publicity 00:27:03.166 --> 00:27:05.791 because it was such an unusual case. 00:27:08.583 --> 00:27:09.833 Several years later, 00:27:09.833 --> 00:27:11.875 I received an email from a guy 00:27:11.958 --> 00:27:15.041 who said that he had visited Kojima in Japan. 00:27:15.125 --> 00:27:16.291 He didn't think Kojima was involved 00:27:16.291 --> 00:27:19.375 in the insect collection business anymore. 00:27:19.458 --> 00:27:20.708 But there is always somebody else 00:27:20.750 --> 00:27:22.916 dealing in illegal insects. 00:27:24.416 --> 00:27:26.583 It's extremely important in this investigation 00:27:26.666 --> 00:27:28.291 to identify and understand 00:27:28.291 --> 00:27:29.916 who are the players 00:27:30.000 --> 00:27:32.666 in the international bug trade today. 00:27:32.750 --> 00:27:34.833 This is no different than, you know, trying to get inside 00:27:34.875 --> 00:27:37.208 the mind of a bank robber, all right. 00:27:37.291 --> 00:27:38.708 He thinks a certain way. 00:27:38.791 --> 00:27:41.000 He's looking for certain things. 00:27:41.083 --> 00:27:43.750 Who else is a distributor of those items? 00:27:43.833 --> 00:27:46.500 And can they lead us to a suspect? 00:27:46.583 --> 00:27:48.208 That's another one. 00:27:51.125 --> 00:27:52.916 Oh, goodie. 00:27:59.625 --> 00:28:03.583 The wildlife trade is an exercise in Whac-A-Mole, 00:28:03.666 --> 00:28:05.000 we will focus on 00:28:05.041 --> 00:28:06.916 and take out major traffickers. 00:28:07.000 --> 00:28:08.708 You're always gonna have poaching, 00:28:08.750 --> 00:28:09.625 you're always gonna have trafficking, 00:28:09.666 --> 00:28:11.833 we're always gonna have Kojimas. 00:28:22.458 --> 00:28:25.375 All insects in the world have a price 00:28:27.583 --> 00:28:29.333 the more difficult it is to get, 00:28:29.416 --> 00:28:30.833 the more dangerous, 00:28:30.875 --> 00:28:32.500 the more illegal, 00:28:32.500 --> 00:28:33.708 the price goes up. 00:28:33.791 --> 00:28:35.000 Watch this. 00:28:38.333 --> 00:28:40.833 Dealing with any type of stolen 00:28:40.875 --> 00:28:42.500 commodity, you have a thief 00:28:42.583 --> 00:28:44.500 who actually does the crime, 00:28:44.583 --> 00:28:45.833 and then he brings it to 00:28:45.916 --> 00:28:47.791 an intermediary or a fence. 00:28:47.875 --> 00:28:50.000 We're looking for people that 00:28:50.041 --> 00:28:51.708 have a facility that can maintain them, 00:28:51.791 --> 00:28:53.916 have the expertise to maintain them 00:28:53.916 --> 00:28:56.333 while they're waiting to be bought, 00:28:56.416 --> 00:28:58.125 and also the ability 00:28:58.166 --> 00:28:59.625 to send them surreptitiously, 00:28:59.708 --> 00:29:00.875 a person with a history of dealing 00:29:00.916 --> 00:29:02.958 in this type of commodity. 00:29:04.291 --> 00:29:06.083 Yeah. My name is Steve Lamond. 00:29:06.166 --> 00:29:07.583 I built this museum 00:29:07.583 --> 00:29:10.750 in the Daintree Rainforest. 00:29:10.833 --> 00:29:12.750 I'm an insect dealer. 00:29:12.833 --> 00:29:14.166 I collect them myself, 00:29:14.208 --> 00:29:15.291 I catch them myself, 00:29:15.375 --> 00:29:18.000 and also I do scientific research. 00:29:18.458 --> 00:29:20.041 Director: And what do you classify yourself as? 00:29:20.083 --> 00:29:21.083 Are you a smuggler? 00:29:22.625 --> 00:29:24.291 Museum director. 00:29:26.250 --> 00:29:27.958 Where do I stand? 00:29:28.041 --> 00:29:30.250 I deal with every sort of insect. 00:29:30.333 --> 00:29:33.666 Beetles, butterflies, dragonflies, 00:29:33.750 --> 00:29:35.708 the world's largest cockroach. 00:29:36.750 --> 00:29:38.958 I probably have 100,000 insects 00:29:39.000 --> 00:29:41.208 on display here. 00:29:41.291 --> 00:29:44.458 I've been to 60 countries. 00:29:44.541 --> 00:29:46.000 This collection's probably worth 00:29:46.000 --> 00:29:47.458 half a million dollars. 00:29:49.416 --> 00:29:52.208 So this is the world's largest beetle here. 00:29:52.291 --> 00:29:54.666 This is Titanus giganteus. 00:29:54.750 --> 00:29:55.916 A very giant one 00:29:55.916 --> 00:29:58.208 I saw at the Paris Insect Fair, 00:29:58.291 --> 00:30:00.458 $50,000 it sold for. 00:30:06.208 --> 00:30:08.083 Dragonfly. 00:30:08.166 --> 00:30:10.041 Mature, we might as well keep him. 00:30:10.125 --> 00:30:12.750 My name is Dan Lamond. 00:30:12.833 --> 00:30:13.833 And this is where we 00:30:13.875 --> 00:30:16.333 keep a number of insects 00:30:16.416 --> 00:30:20.041 and bring a lot of our stock back to and operate out of. 00:30:20.125 --> 00:30:21.041 See anything? 00:30:21.125 --> 00:30:23.375 In terms of how the whole bug world 00:30:23.416 --> 00:30:24.416 seems to work, he's the man, 00:30:24.500 --> 00:30:27.625 he knows exactly how to get everything done. 00:30:27.708 --> 00:30:28.791 Put the ladder up there. 00:30:28.833 --> 00:30:30.125 Well, I'm not going on this ladder. 00:30:30.125 --> 00:30:31.458 This is the world's worst ladder. 00:30:31.541 --> 00:30:33.291 You just break both your legs. 00:30:33.375 --> 00:30:34.833 Shut up and do it. 00:30:34.916 --> 00:30:37.333 Director: And how much is a bug like that worth? 00:30:37.416 --> 00:30:39.833 Where are we? Are we in Australia now 00:30:39.916 --> 00:30:40.833 or are we in Tokyo 00:30:40.875 --> 00:30:43.125 or are we in America or where? 00:30:43.208 --> 00:30:45.958 Insects have a different price in every country in the world. 00:30:46.041 --> 00:30:47.041 I'll let this one go? 00:30:47.083 --> 00:30:47.416 Yeah. 00:30:47.500 --> 00:30:50.500 If it's not rare, it has no value. 00:30:52.041 --> 00:30:53.291 Director: So you were saying that 00:30:53.333 --> 00:30:55.000 most of the black market these days is 00:30:55.041 --> 00:30:56.708 wait, what's that butterfly behind you, 00:30:56.708 --> 00:30:57.250 the purple one? 00:30:57.291 --> 00:30:59.500 That's that Ulysses, a protected one, 00:30:59.541 --> 00:31:01.750 hundred and thirty bucks a pair in Tokyo. 00:31:01.916 --> 00:31:03.958 Director: You just gotta get it there, huh? 00:31:08.208 --> 00:31:10.458 Oh, here's a goodie. 00:31:10.541 --> 00:31:12.625 There's another one. 00:31:12.708 --> 00:31:15.083 In the illegal bug trade, the prices 00:31:15.125 --> 00:31:16.333 are whatever the market could bear. 00:31:17.500 --> 00:31:20.166 These are Queen Victoria's bird wings here. 00:31:20.250 --> 00:31:21.875 If you wanna collect these, 00:31:21.875 --> 00:31:23.250 you have to have a lot of money. 00:31:23.333 --> 00:31:24.625 In the 1980s, no one had 00:31:24.666 --> 00:31:27.541 sold these for over 40 years 00:31:27.625 --> 00:31:29.125 before I've gone to Solomon Islands. 00:31:29.208 --> 00:31:32.625 They were worth about 600 to 900 a pair. 00:31:32.708 --> 00:31:34.958 Director: So you were buying these for two bucks a pair, 00:31:35.041 --> 00:31:37.041 and then selling them for $900? 00:31:37.125 --> 00:31:38.458 Yeah. It wasn't bad. 00:31:40.583 --> 00:31:42.666 Wasn't that easy to do either. 00:31:45.750 --> 00:31:48.750 Sometimes I go to Tokyo 00:31:48.750 --> 00:31:50.166 with a suitcase full. 00:31:50.250 --> 00:31:54.125 Maybe I get a hundred grand after a month. 00:31:54.208 --> 00:31:56.625 A lot of money was going through my fingers. 00:31:56.708 --> 00:31:59.333 But I had big expenses. 00:31:59.416 --> 00:32:02.000 We're just spending all our money 00:32:02.041 --> 00:32:04.000 going to a new strange country. 00:32:04.083 --> 00:32:05.125 So it never ends 00:32:05.166 --> 00:32:05.791 if you do this. 00:32:07.916 --> 00:32:11.500 This was a very secretive industry. 00:32:11.583 --> 00:32:14.291 I'd only meet people at the insect fairs 00:32:14.291 --> 00:32:15.958 in the world and only write letters. 00:32:16.041 --> 00:32:18.500 The birth of the internet changed all that. 00:32:22.583 --> 00:32:23.583 I got some messages. 00:32:23.583 --> 00:32:24.041 Yeah. All right. 00:32:24.083 --> 00:32:27.458 This bug's after an assortment of brown. 00:32:27.458 --> 00:32:28.583 All right. 00:32:28.666 --> 00:32:29.541 Yeah, these days, 00:32:29.583 --> 00:32:30.708 most of the communications 00:32:30.791 --> 00:32:32.375 are just email or WhatsApp 00:32:32.458 --> 00:32:33.791 because then we just thought 00:32:33.833 --> 00:32:35.541 more efficient, send photos easy. 00:32:37.083 --> 00:32:38.791 You know, in the good old days, 00:32:38.833 --> 00:32:40.000 nothing was illegal. 00:32:40.083 --> 00:32:42.458 It was open slather in the whole world. 00:32:42.541 --> 00:32:43.750 It's so difficult now, 00:32:43.791 --> 00:32:45.166 all these permits. 00:32:45.250 --> 00:32:47.291 Anyway they're not on their property. 00:32:47.375 --> 00:32:48.708 We'll do whatever we like here. 00:32:48.791 --> 00:32:50.416 Oh, no, no, no. 00:32:54.458 --> 00:32:57.875 I got a message about a heist in Philadelphia 00:32:57.958 --> 00:33:01.166 where they pinched a heap of mainly live stuff. 00:33:01.250 --> 00:33:04.250 Live, it must have been a hobbyist. 00:33:04.333 --> 00:33:05.875 It's probably an inside job. 00:33:05.958 --> 00:33:08.250 - Ah. - Something like that I'd say. 00:33:18.250 --> 00:33:19.041 Steve, Dan, 00:33:19.041 --> 00:33:20.500 nice to meet you. 00:33:20.583 --> 00:33:22.041 - Steve: Yeah, yeah. - Dan: Likewise. 00:33:22.041 --> 00:33:24.875 Say if we, we go by the theory 00:33:24.916 --> 00:33:26.416 that this was an inside job, 00:33:26.500 --> 00:33:28.625 what type of employees are we looking at? 00:33:28.708 --> 00:33:30.000 Steve: You have to know how to feed them 00:33:30.041 --> 00:33:30.750 and look after them. 00:33:30.791 --> 00:33:32.166 So, it's obviously someone 00:33:32.208 --> 00:33:33.625 who's keeping them. 00:33:33.708 --> 00:33:36.375 Would we be looking for someone 00:33:36.375 --> 00:33:38.000 that say has a history of trafficking 00:33:38.083 --> 00:33:39.875 in these types of animals? 00:33:39.958 --> 00:33:41.333 Dan: For someone to steal 00:33:41.333 --> 00:33:43.583 this quantity of insects, 00:33:43.666 --> 00:33:46.791 they would have to have a plan to get rid 00:33:46.791 --> 00:33:49.666 of them and move them fast. 00:33:49.958 --> 00:33:52.625 And someone who has that kind of plan 00:33:52.708 --> 00:33:54.875 would definitely be on the radar of authorities. 00:33:54.958 --> 00:33:56.458 Because, need to have the experience 00:33:56.458 --> 00:33:58.208 and have been in the game 00:33:58.291 --> 00:34:01.458 for a while to formulate such a plan. 00:34:03.166 --> 00:34:04.625 Based off that conversation, 00:34:04.708 --> 00:34:06.333 I needed to take a harder look 00:34:06.333 --> 00:34:08.375 at employees at the museum 00:34:08.458 --> 00:34:10.583 who fit that profile. 00:34:10.666 --> 00:34:12.750 Kelvin, had a very clear passion 00:34:12.791 --> 00:34:14.625 for working with bugs. 00:34:14.708 --> 00:34:17.291 But based on further investigation, 00:34:17.333 --> 00:34:19.208 we were able to rule Kelvin out. 00:34:19.291 --> 00:34:20.958 It became apparent that Kelvin 00:34:21.000 --> 00:34:23.375 had worked several different jobs, 00:34:23.458 --> 00:34:26.625 and he had an alibi showing that he was working 00:34:26.708 --> 00:34:28.125 at another employment at the time. 00:34:29.916 --> 00:34:33.250 Kinzler seemed to have full access at the Insectarium 00:34:33.333 --> 00:34:35.500 and had run-ins with the law in the past. 00:34:35.583 --> 00:34:36.750 But it turns out most of the charges 00:34:36.791 --> 00:34:40.083 from the other robbery were dropped. 00:34:40.166 --> 00:34:41.708 And it didn't seem like this guy 00:34:41.708 --> 00:34:42.958 had the wherewithal 00:34:47.541 --> 00:34:51.000 That left Wlodek and we found out 00:34:51.083 --> 00:34:52.791 that Wlodek had a pending plea 00:34:52.791 --> 00:34:54.541 in federal court 00:34:54.625 --> 00:34:57.250 for illegal trafficking of certain insects 00:34:57.333 --> 00:34:59.125 here in the United States. 00:34:59.208 --> 00:35:00.916 And that became a key part 00:35:00.958 --> 00:35:02.000 of the puzzle. 00:35:04.833 --> 00:35:06.083 Director: Hello? Wlodek? 00:35:06.166 --> 00:35:07.083 Wlodek: Hey. What's up? 00:35:07.166 --> 00:35:08.500 Director: Hey, how's it going? 00:35:08.583 --> 00:35:09.875 Wlodek: Ehhh, it's okay. 00:35:09.958 --> 00:35:12.250 I know that there's still some people who 00:35:12.333 --> 00:35:15.750 like, you know, they see what I did to be 00:35:15.833 --> 00:35:16.750 bad. 00:35:16.833 --> 00:35:18.583 So they're just keeping their distance 00:35:18.583 --> 00:35:20.041 because they don't want to get in trouble. 00:35:20.458 --> 00:35:21.708 And there are certain people 00:35:21.750 --> 00:35:22.625 who are just thinking that, like 00:35:22.625 --> 00:35:24.250 one bad apple, that means that now 00:35:24.291 --> 00:35:25.875 there's more bad apples. 00:35:25.958 --> 00:35:27.666 And now, you know, like... um... 00:35:27.750 --> 00:35:28.750 Fish and Wildlife, 00:35:28.750 --> 00:35:29.958 they may be still probing, 00:35:30.041 --> 00:35:31.708 hoping that, "Oh, we're just waiting 00:35:31.708 --> 00:35:33.250 for him to do something stupid, 00:35:33.333 --> 00:35:35.791 and then, we can capture him in the act, right? A-ha!" 00:35:36.291 --> 00:35:37.708 Or maybe they're just still thinking, 00:35:37.750 --> 00:35:40.958 "Oh, as long as we're keeping this case going along, 00:35:41.041 --> 00:35:42.625 then maybe he can talk to some other people. 00:35:42.666 --> 00:35:44.416 And then, we can get them, you know, 00:35:44.416 --> 00:35:45.541 to be captured too," 00:35:45.625 --> 00:35:46.625 know what I mean? 00:35:46.666 --> 00:35:49.791 I just really don't want to have any extra witnesses. 00:35:53.041 --> 00:35:54.416 We have an update to a story 00:35:54.458 --> 00:35:55.583 Action News first brought you... 00:35:55.666 --> 00:35:57.666 We're getting a look at new surveillance video... 00:35:59.500 --> 00:36:02.041 I went to the police with the video footage. 00:36:02.125 --> 00:36:05.416 Were you ever ordering things from other countries? 00:36:06.208 --> 00:36:09.208 It became evident that Wlodek left the Insectarium 00:36:09.291 --> 00:36:11.083 under some murky circumstances. 00:36:11.166 --> 00:36:13.333 Some shady stuff was going on. 00:36:13.416 --> 00:36:14.458 When Wlodek left, 00:36:14.500 --> 00:36:15.583 Chris took over his job. 00:36:15.666 --> 00:36:17.500 Chris was caught smuggling 00:36:17.500 --> 00:36:19.375 and selling exotic species. 00:36:19.458 --> 00:36:20.708 They seemed kind of dark. 00:36:20.791 --> 00:36:23.208 And then I received that phone call.