Businessman Accused of Harassing Endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal

A lawyer representing a man charged with harassing a Hawaiian monk seal is defending his client following a viral video of the incident that has caused public uproar.

Igor Mikhailovich Litvinchuk, 38, from Covington, Washington, allegedly threw a rock at the head of the endangered seal, one of the most rare marine mammals, an act recorded by a beachgoer earlier this month.

Litvinchuk was apprehended near Seattle last week and now faces charges of harassment and attempted harassment of an endangered species, violating the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act, according to the Justice Department.

If found guilty, he could serve up to one year in prison for each charge and face fines up to $50,000 under the Endangered Species Act and $20,000 under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

His attorney, Miles Breiner, emphasizes that Litvinchuk did not mean to harm the seal. “Let me be clear to the public: He never intended to harm monk seals,” Breiner stated in an interview.

According to Breiner, Litvinchuk thought he was defending a resting sea turtle, or honu, that was on a rock nearby. “He wanted to scare away the seals from the honu he saw there,” he explained. He noted that one of the turtles had already been knocked off the rock by a seal.

Breiner went on to assert that his client was unaware that Hawaiian monk seals were endangered, pointing out that previous encounters with aggressive sea lions in Washington state influenced his actions. “Sea lions are very aggressive,” he remarked, noting their tendency to steal bait and fish.

Prosecutors, however, cite the viral video and witness accounts as evidence for the charges. In the complaint, Litvinchuk allegedly claimed to a witness that he was “rich enough to pay the fine,” a point his lawyer contests.

The video captures a woman’s voice questioning Litvinchuk’s actions as he throws rocks at the seal along Maui’s coast. After being confronted, he reportedly responded that he could “afford” potential fines.

Litvinchuk owns a logistics company based in Kent, Washington. Breiner stated that while his client acknowledges breaking the law, he disputes any notion that there was a deliberate intent to harm the seal: “He recognizes that he made the wrong decision, but that decision was not based on any attempt to harm the animal.”

The lawyer also rejected reports claiming Litvinchuk stated he was wealthy enough to cover fines, insisting it was a misunderstanding. “The statement was, ‘I can afford it.'”