A gang of four people has been accused of pillaging nearly 70 tonnes of dinosaur bones in Utah worth over USD 1 million and selling them to buyers in China.
The four suspects, named as Vint Wade, 65, Donna Wade, 67, of Utah, Steven Willing, 67, of Los Angeles and Jordan Willing, 40, Oregon, have been charged with 13 felonies for allegedly selling over 150,000 lbs (68 tonnes) of palaeontological fossils and other items over the last five years.
Prosecutors allege that the Wades built up a stockpile of goods that they would sell at gem and mineral shows around the country, with them then selling some of the goods to the Willings.
The Willings then allegedly “exported the dinosaur bones to China by mislabeling the dinosaur bones and deflating their value to avoid detection by federal agents”.
Newsflash obtained a statement from the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah on Thursday, 19th October, saying: “A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned a 13-count indictment charging four people for allegedly purchasing and selling over USD 1 million [GBP 825,640] in paleontological resources.
“The dollar amount represents 150,000 pounds of paleontological resources, including dinosaur bones, illegally removed from federal and state lands in southeastern Utah.”
The suspects are also accused of causing USD 3 million (GBP 2.47 million) in damages.
US Attorney Trina A. Higgins is quoted in the statement as saying: “By removing and processing these dinosaur bones to make consumer products for profit, tens of thousands of pounds of dinosaur bones have lost virtually all scientific value, leaving future generations unable to experience the science and wonder of these bones on Federal land.”
Some of the dinosaur bones the suspects allegedly sold at gem and mineral shows and exported abroad, including to China, can be seen in photographs supplied by the US authorities.
They show “gembones” that appear to be cut and polished dinosaur bones that were then being sold on privately after having been illegally excavated.
The practice is illegal as the Paleontological Resources Preservation Act (PRPA) states that such items and other fossils are the property of the United States.
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Story By: Joseph Golder, Sub-Editor: Michael Leidig, Agency: Newsflash
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