Saratoga Resident Charged In Elephant Ivory Scheme

(File photo of Steve Oberholtzer, USFWS Special Agent discussing ivory trafficking with reporters courtesy Gavin Shire/USFWS)

SAN FRANCISCO – Saratoga resident Shahram “Ron” Roohparvar was arrested Wednesday in connection with an alleged international elephant ivory trafficking scheme according to federal authorities .

In an indictment opened Wednesday, authorities say the 61-year-old Roohparvar was charged with selling art objects made of elephant ivory on the international market. According to the indictment, the sale of elephant ivory has been largely banned and highly regulated since 1976.

Federal authorities say statutes and international agreements regulate the export of elephant ivory and make it a crime to export it without proper permits and declarations. According to the indictment, Roohparvar continued to offer ivory for sale on the internet, exporting it in violation of strict statutes.

According to federal authorities, the indictment describes three transactions in which Roohparvar allegedly took part between 2012 and 2015.

In January of 2012, Roohparvar is alleged to have offered to sell an ivory carving for sale and shipped it to New Zealand; in December of 2013, Roohparvar is alleged to have directed the export of an ivory carving to Australia; and in July of 2015, Roohparvar is alleged to have attempted to export an ivory statue to New Zealand.

The San Jose Mercury News reports in one case, Roohparvar sold an ivory carving to a New Zealand buyer for $1,950, but he told the U.S. Postal Service it was a "small Japanese statute" worth $59, according to the indictment.

In all three cases, Roohparvar allegedly initiated the transactions without obtaining the required permits and without filing the necessary declarations with the USFWS. Roohparvar was charged with three counts each of wildlife trafficking, and one count of smuggling.

Special Agents from the USFWS arrested Roohparvar Thursday morning according to authorities.

He was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph C. Spero and released on a $250,000 bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for April 6, 2016, at 2p.m., for an initial appearance before U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer.

Authorities say if convicted, Roohparvar could receive five years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine for each count of wildlife trafficking.

A conviction of smuggling could bring 10 years’ imprisonment and $250,000 fine.

-image via the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.