National Whistleblower Center featured in ABC News, New York Post & more
Executive Director of the National Whistleblower Center, Stephen M. Kohn, has spoken to ABC News investigative reporters recently about a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) complaint filed against Facebook by D.C. whistleblower law firm Kohn, Kohn & Colapinto (KKC).
The SEC complaint claims that Facebook is not only facilitating and profiting from wildlife trafficking, but that it is also aware illicit activity takes place on its site.
“You can go on Facebook today and you’ll see every single endangered species for sale,” said Kohn in the ABC News interview. “Some live, some dead. It’s pretty shocking. What we saw immediately was that Facebook was most likely the number one source of trafficking worldwide.”
A New York Post article from earlier this month mentions the SEC complaint and states: “Welcome to Facebook, home to one of the largest black markets for illegal buying and selling of the parts of slaughtered endangered animals.”
Media start-up Inverse also picked up the story, citing evidence from the complaint that demonstrates elephant ivory, rhino horn, tiger teeth, and other wildlife products are available for sale on Facebook.
It remains to be seen whether or not the SEC will find Facebook guilty of the complaint’s assertions. Facebook has commented that wildlife trafficking violates its community standards and that it is investigating the issue.
- Read and watch the ABC News feature: Whistleblower Accuses Facebook of connecting wildlife traffickers with buyers and sellers
- Read the New York Post article: One of the largest black markets for animal parts is on Facebook
- Read the Inverse article: Facebook Is Linked to Illegal Ivory Trade, SEC Complaint Claims
- Read an earlier blog: Facebook Wildlife Trafficking Report Spreads Around World