New York man convicted of selling sharks on Internet that were kept in swimming pool basement

‘We will not tolerate anyone who preys on protected species to line their pocket,’ says attorney general Letitia James

A New York man has been convicted of selling sharks on the Internet that he kept in a swimming pool in his basement.

Joshua Seguine, 40, was convicted on a conditional discharge in LaGrange, New York, on Wednesday on charges of illegal trafficking and was ordered to pay a $5,000 (£3,593) fine. He pleaded not-guilty.

Seguine was arrested in Georgia in 2017 after he was caught driving without a licence. While searching his vehicle, the authorities discovered five sharks in a tank located in the back of his truck.

He admitted at the time that he was planning on transporting those sharks back to his home in New York to sell along with several others already held in his basement.

Following Seguine’s arrest, the New York Department of Environmental Conservation opened an investigation into him, quickly discovering that he ran a business named Aquatic Apex Life LLC.

The department found that the 40-year-old sold live sharks on the website MonsterFishKeepers.com and subsequently searched his residence.

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At Seguine’s home, the investigators alongside biologists discovered an above-ground pool in his basement that contained seven live sandbar sharks, which are prohibited from being owned in New York without a special licence.

Two dead leopard sharks, one deceased hammerhead shark and the snout of an endangered smalltooth sawfish were also found in the basement, according to the department.

The sharks were assessed by the biologists and transferred to the Long Island Aquarium in Riverhead, before being moved to the New York Aquarium at Coney Island.

In a statement following Seguine’s conviction on Wednesday, New York attorney general Letitia James wrote: “The tide has turned for Joshua Seguine, who was convicted and held accountable for his unlawful acts. We will not tolerate anyone who preys on protected species to line their pockets.”

In a separate statement, Department of Environmental Conservation commissioner Basil Seggos added: “I applaud the work of our environmental conservation police officers, who spearheaded the investigation that resulted in Joshua Seguine being brought to justice.

“It is critical that we work to protect endangered species that are taken from their natural habitats and sold for profit.”