Ferdinand E. Krizan, Elephant Tusk Trafficking, New York 2014

Ferdinand E. Krizan, a 78-year-old man from Franklinville, NY, has been fined $30,000 for illegally buying and selling elephant tusks. The sentencing is a culmination of an investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Krizan, the owner of Fred’s Antiques in Franklinville, purchased two elephant tusks from an auction house in Montreal, Quebec for $4,320 Canadian dollars on November 6, 2013. He then had the tusks shipped to an address in Niagara Falls, Ontario, and later transported them into the United States through the Rainbow Bridge port of entry on November 28, 2013, violating the Endangered Species Act.

On May 31, 2014, Krizan sold the tusks, along with four additional tusks, to a buyer in Massachusetts for $50,000 American dollars. At the time of that sale, Krizan knew that the two elephant tusks had been improperly transported into the United States. He never applied for or received a permit under the Endangered Species Act authorizing the importation, delivery, receipt, transportation, or sale of elephant ivory.

The investigation also determined that Krizan illegally trafficked in other protected wildlife, including a Narwhal tusk, which he sold for $8,000 American dollars in violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act; two elephant tusks, which he sold for $66,000 American dollars; a carved elephant ivory art object, which he purchased for $1,020 Canadian dollars; and several other items.

The total value of the wildlife trafficked by Krizan is $141,877.00. As part of the plea, he will also abandon approximately 100 pieces of elephant ivory carvings.

Krizan’s sentencing marks the culmination of an investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, under the direction of Honora Gordon, Special Agent in Charge, Northeast Region, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, under the direction of Captain Frank Lauricella.

The defendant, Ferdinand E. Krizan, will pay a fine of $30,000 as a result of the sentencing. The exact criminal charges against Krizan are trafficking in prohibited wildlife. The city and state where the crime took place is Buffalo, New York. The exact date of the crime is November 6, 2013, and the date of sentencing is not specified. The city and state where the sentencing took place is Buffalo, New York. The defendant is currently serving a $30,000 fine for his crimes. The total value of the wildlife trafficked by Krizan is $141,877.00.

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