A Florida man pleaded guilty Thursday to charges that he smuggled a $1 million dinosaur fossil into the U.S.
Eric Prokopi, 38, told officials at Manhattan Federal Court that he had attempted to smuggle a 70-million-year-old fossil of a Tyrannosauras Bataar from the Gobi Desert into the country.
In addition, Prokopi also admitted that he illegally imported a Chinese flying dinosaur, two oviraptors and a duckbilled Saurolophus, the BBC reports.
A paleontologist, husband and father of two from Gainesville, Fla., Prokopi became suspected by federal officials earlier this year when he auctioned the Tyrannosaurus fossils, originally listed at $15,000, to a buyer in Manhattan for $1 million.
As part of his plea bargain with law enforcement authorities, Prokopi gave up any claim to the dinosaur skeleton and the other artifacts which he admitted to smuggling. In addition, the New York Daily News writes, Prokopi has agreed to cooperate with feds investigating the theft of the Mongolian fossils between 2010 and 2012.
Prokopi is facing upward to 17 years behind bars for charges including conspiring to import the fosslils, making false statements to customs officials and smuggling the fossils.
As for what happens to the artifacts now, federal officials say that they will now seek to return the stolen relics to the countries where they were found.
"Fossils and ancient skeletal remains are part of the fabric of a country's natural history and cultural heritage, and black marketers like Prokopi who illegally export and sell these wonders, steal a slice of that history," US Attorney Preet Bharara said, as reported by the BBC.
- Contribute to this Story:
- Send us a tip
- Send us a photo or video
- Suggest a correction
