Portland, ME – A Greene man pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to running a black-market operation that trafficked whale and bird parts across the United States, prosecutors said.
Sergey Bachkovsky admitted in U.S. District Court that from June 2023 through March 2024 he imported and sold restricted wildlife products online, including sperm whale teeth, blue whale and minke whale ear bones, scrimshaw carvings, and a broad-winged hawk carcass. Court documents also revealed that he intended to sell additional items such as bear teeth, whale vertebrae, and wings and feathers from eagles, hawks, owls, and vultures.
Federal officials said the scheme violated the Lacey Act, a longstanding law that bans trade in wildlife obtained illegally under U.S. or state rules. The sperm whale and blue whale have been protected under the Endangered Species Act for decades, while the Marine Mammal Protection Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act restrict the sale and transport of whale and migratory bird parts without special permits.
Bachkovsky faces up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and fines reaching $250,000 or twice the profit from his trafficking operation. A sentencing date has not been set.
The case was announced by the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which investigated the case under Operation Raw Deal—a nationwide crackdown on the illegal import and resale of whale bones and teeth.
Federal prosecutors said the guilty plea follows similar recent prosecutions tied to the same investigation, including a case in South Carolina.
