Department of Justice
Assistant U.S. Attorney's Office
- District of Massachusetts

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Apr. 24, 2008

TWO FACE CHARGES OF CONSPIRING TO ILLEGAL IMPORT ENDANGERED SPERM WHALE TEETH

BOSTON , MA - A Nantucket man and a Ukranian citizen were charged today in federal court with smuggling, making false statements, and conspiracy involving the illegal importation of sperm whale teeth.

United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan; Andrew Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Law Enforcement - Northeast Division, and Thomas J. Healy, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Law Enforcement, Northeast Region of he United States Fish and Wildlife Service, announced today that CHARLES A. MANGHIS, age 53, of 44 Somerset Street, Nantucket, was charged in a indictment with multiple counts of smuggling sperm whale and elephant ivory illegally into the United States; making false statements to federal agents; and conspiracy to smuggle sperm whale and elephant ivory into the United States. MANGHIS was arrested at his home on Nantucket by federal agents this morning and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy S. Hillman in Boston later that same day. MANGHIS was released on a $25,000 secured bond following his arraignment in federal court today.

Also charged by this indictment was ANDRIY MIKHALYOV, of Odessa, Ukraine. MIKHALYOV was charged with conspiring with MANGHIS and others to import sperm whale ivory from the Ukraine through California to Massachusetts.

The indictment alleges that MANGHIS from 2003 to 2005 smuggled sperm whale ivory and elephant ivory into the United States in violation of federal law. The indictment states that sperm whales and elephants are endangered species, protected by both an international treaty and federal law. The indictment further alleges that MANGHIS made false statements to federal agents from US Fish and Wildlife and the Law Enforcement Division of the NOAA during a criminal investigation regarding the importation of the sperm whale teeth. Finally, the indictment alleges that from 2002 until 2005, MANGHIS engaged in a conspiracy with MIKHALYOV, a seller located in Odessa, Ukraine, to illegally import sperm whale teeth so that MANGHIS, who works in scrimshaw, could re-sell the items here in the United States.