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That NYC cab driver turned billionaire has pleaded guilty to charges that he violated the Endangered Species Act by attempting to import 29 rare dead animals into the US aboard his yacht. You may recall Tamir Sapir as the Georgian man who rose from immigrant hack to Russian oil and real estate tycoon, ultimately buying the city's most expensive townhouse across from the Metropolitan Museum for $40 million in 2006. But Florida Customs officers who peered inside his yacht in 2007 know him better as a dealer in dead endangered wildlife.
According to the Post, Fish and Wildlife Service investigators confiscated the following items: Barstools upholstered with python and anaconda skins, seven carved elephant tusks, hides of jaguars, tigers and zebras, a fully stuffed and mounted lion, a cigarette holder made from python skin, a zebra-skin-lined children's bed, and a cigar box wrapped in elephant hide. Speaking to reporters, US District Attorney Alex Acosta said, "Personally, I think these items are rather creepy items. And I would not want them in my house, but some people like them and are willing to buy them. The reason laws exist is because there is a market."
Despite the guilty plea, Sapir's attorney insists his client wasn't trying to smuggle the remains of endangered species into the country; they were just "part of the decor" of Sapir's "home away from home... It was just a failure to have to the proper documentation. These are ivory pieces that pre-date the [legal] acts. They are antiques. As far as the skins are concerned, these are skins that were legally purchased and they are old. He wasn't importing or exporting these items." Sapir, currently the 522nd richest man in the world with a fortune of $1.4 billion, will pay $150,000 fines.
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Great choice of pics.
As soon as I saw Mr. Burns, I knew this would be a JDS post.
Seriously, a zebra-lined children's bed?!? Can't kids settle for faux zebra?
only the best for his kids. Billionaires deserve it.
eewww...all that dead flesh laying around must have made his yacht kinda smelly.
Shhh... Don't tell them about the panda snuggies they're all getting for Christmas.
Isn't this guy one of Donald Trump's buddies in developing Trump SoHo? Maybe he was going for a jungle theme for the roof top restaurant.
If Trump SoHo went residential then there wouldn't be this kind of problem.
What is so rare about zebra, or even lions? When the lion dies does he go somewhere special? The hyenas will destroy the skin anyway so what's the big deal?
See my vest!
Tamir Sapir or Tapir for short. I believe tapirs are on the endangered species list.
Wasn't there a cartoon character named Ralph that was a tapir?
only fines, he deserves jail time. he is funding the extinction of these wildlife species.
I personally think what he did was wrong but jail time? I might be ignorant on this topic but maybe in his culture this is a reputable business model. Maybe we all need to get out of our own moral boxes and respect other ways and cultural ideals.
If he lives here, he lives in our culture and our laws.
If he doesn't like it, he can leave.
Culture and tradition is not an excuse, there is a universal moral fiber and killing for fashion is wrong. Perhaps he didn't kill the wildlife himself but he is funding the cruelty and extinction of species. He should have been given some time behind bars.
There are two possibilities:
1> there is no 'universal moral fiber'
2> there is 'universal moral fiber' but no one agrees on it or has any guarantee that their version is correct.
2a> there is 'universal moral fiber' and Felix got lucky and happens to know what it is.
I find 2a pretty unlikely.
Also, most people use the phrase 'Moral Realism' for 'universal moral fiber'. It sounds less like a breakfast cereal ingredient.
See my vest, see my vest,
Made from real gorilla chest,
Feel this sweater, there's no better,
Than authentic Irish setter.
See this hat, 'twas my cat,
My evening wear - vampire bat,
These white slippers are albino
African endangered rhino.
Grizzly bear underwear,
Turtles' necks, I've got my share,
Beret of poodle, on my noodle
It shall rest,
Try my red robin suit,
It comes one breast or two,
See my vest, see my vest,
See my vest.
Like my loafers? Former gophers -
It was that or skin my chauffeurs,
But a greyhound fur tuxedo
Would be best
"Kill two for matching clogs!"
"python and anaconda skins, seven carved elephant tusks, hides of jaguars, tigers and zebras, a fully stuffed and mounted lion, a cigarette holder made from python skin, a zebra-skin-lined children's bed, and a cigar box wrapped in elephant hide.
All of the above are not allowed in NYC housing projects. Which ones are endangered? Most of these are being driven to extinction because of loss of natural habitat.
Like the world is lacking in pythons and anacondas as well as zebra. Maybe the tigers and jaguars, but elephant skin is hardly rare. What does the Bronx zoo do with their dead animals?
A disgusting co-worker African woman showed me her elephant briefcase, I really let her have it. Now she stays away from me which I am glad since she doesn't bathe herself and really stinks.
Felix: loves animals, hates people.
Do you know me? I hate ignorance as yours. Since when does protecting animals mean I hate humans, it means I am HUMANe.
You noticed? LOL
Yeah, I observed that years ago about Petaphiles. They are deranged, sublimating the natural emotions deserved for people over to animals.
And what does her being "African" have to do with anything? Mhmm...interesting choice of words, add to that your choice of description of her and we get the picture.
Felix might stick up for animals which is fine but there is no question he is racist.
Because she is African and it is a fact, it is you who are racists since you consider the word inappropriate and Yes she doesn't bathe. That is also a fact. pheeeeew. And next time she head to Nigeria for vacation, I will phone airport security to check her luggage.
Yet more proof that all the money in the world can't buy good taste.
"Een homeland of Georgia eez sign of nobility and sexual prowess."
You see this is why tactless bumpkins shouldn't get filthy rich overnight. They need years of networking and social climbing to acclimate themselves to the realms of civilized behavior and decorum.
@ Think Twice
"You see this is why tactless bumpkins shouldn't get filthy rich overnight. They need years of networking and social climbing to acclimate themselves to the realms of civilized behavior and decorum."
So that was the problem! "New money"!because we all know, It takes generations to get the refinement of the fart joker W or the "F" bomb Cheney. At least Poppy Bush knows to kill the endangered species himself rather than buying them dead, and Cheney shoots his ducks with SCOTUS judges and prefers shooting commoners in the face all by himself.
Once a cabbie, always a cabbie.
Seriously? No one else here has commented that it is pathetic to fine him a measly $150K? This guy should be fined a million per item. ONLY then will he give a shit.
with a fortune of apprx. $1.4 billion, maybe $1 mil per item wouldn't even be enough.
DISGUSTING. this makes me sick. what a repulsive and cruel man.
Seriously? There are 521 people worth MORE than $1.4BB? Damn!