US Dealer Involved in Smuggling revealed in court documents

[Exoskeleton Invertebrates]

I just one to take this moment to say that I was serious about the P. metallica female yes Todd it's yours!
Here's my sob story I just lost one of my female P. metallica on a bet, my kids wont talk to me now, my wife is thinking of leaving me, I'm depressed, I cant work, I cant think straight. Paul, I dont think you and alot of people realize how much this is affecting my life now.
People, understand something Paul posted a sob story so people can feel sorry for him, because it is now right out in the open. How about Sven, how do you think he is feeling right now! knowing that he can't even go back to Germany, visit his family, take care of his stock, and work to make a living. I bet no one has thought about that, my bad no more bets! Oh I know what some of you Paul supporters are going to say, Sven deserves it right! So I ask you what about Paul? We all have done bad things in our life, but this is not acceptable for either party.
My work is done Sven best of luck to you and learn from this, I'm going to my burrow now and sob.


Jose Berrios
Exoskeleton Invertebrates

 

[Redneck]

Im glad to see you all being mature about this...

Do I think Paul should get in trouble? Yes!

I also would like to make sure I am clear on something... Sven, he got how long in prison? I think I read in a comment 20 years. But I am not sure if that is what he got. However, if he did in fact get 20 years, that is insane! Yeah, I belive they should both get punished, but not to that extreme.

I guess my opinion is just that, an opinion. I have never really supported dealers. I have only ordered from Paul twice, then I heard about this "rumor" a while back, and stopped ordering from him... Everyone else, well, yalls prices are to high for me. (No I am not saying yall should lower them. Even though yall might have more sales. )

 

[mcluskyisms]

Im glad to see you all being mature about this...

Do I think Paul should get in trouble? Yes!

I also would like to make sure I am clear on something... Sven, he got how long in prison? I think I read in a comment 20 years. But I am not sure if that is what he got. However, if he did in fact get 20 years, that is insane! Yeah, I belive they should both get punished, but not to that extreme.

I guess my opinion is just that, an opinion. I have never really supported dealers. I have only ordered from Paul twice, then I heard about this "rumor" a while back, and stopped ordering from him... Everyone else, well, yalls prices are to high for me. (No I am not saying yall should lower them. Even though yall might have more sales. )

Sven got 6 months and a $4000 fine, I agree with the fine but not the time. Maybe a bigger fine and no prison would've been better? Anyways as for Paul, he sold Sven out to save his own skin, I don't care what anyone says about the morals of this case, you don't get people to take bullets for you.

 

[Redneck]

Sven got 6 months and a $4000 fine, I agree with the fine but not the time. Maybe a bigger fine and no prison would've been better? Anyways as for Paul, he sold Sven out to save his own skin, I don't care what anyone says about the morals of this case, you don't get people to take bullets for you.

Ahh! Thats it? That is all the time he has to serve? Its only six months. I personally would be more upset about losing $4000! Of course, he is losing more by not being home and running his business.

I wonder how much time Paul would have had to serve if he didnt sell out...?

 

[xhexdx]

If you've never been to jail before...6 months is a long time.

 

[patrick86]

This could have went another way.

What would have happened when Paul was first caught with the illegally shipped package from Taiwan if he had said, yep I cheated the Fed out of some tax/fee money with this package, I'll take the hit for it and I'm not saying another word? I'll take my attorney now thank you very much.

Then kept his mouth shut and paid the piper.

This thread would have been a heck of a lot smaller.

 

[pato_chacoana]

If you've never been to jail before...6 months is a long time.

I agree with that! And it's even worse when you don't deserve that at all! And let's not forget that Sven is now an illegal immigrant in the US for all the time spent there, and that will cause him even more problems (yes, as ridiculous as it sounds, but true) He's being controlled as a serial killer....crazy huh :wall:

And as for PB and everyone else involved in this entrapment... not taking responsibility for your actions and being a rat to save yourself and lying to the teeth all the time to ruin someone else's lives... well that's just great, what a nice guy. A rat is a rat and will always be one.
I'm curious, is Sven is the 3rd biggest ''smuggler'', where are the other 2 ???? All of this case is a bad joke..........

 

[Singapore_Blue1]

This could have went another way.

What would have happened when Paul was first caught with the illegally shipped package from Taiwan if he had said, yep I cheated the Fed out of some tax/fee money with this package, I'll take the hit for it and I'm not saying another word? I'll take my attorney now thank you very much.

Then kept his mouth shut and paid the piper.

This thread would have been a heck of a lot smaller.

Yes this would be very true. I will tell you this much typically if he would have chosen that route the Feds would have nailed him to the wall. Just to clarify I am not saying he shouldn't have said exactly that but what I am saying is the Feds would have most likely tried to make an example out of him without his cooperation

 

[pato_chacoana]

Yes this would be very true. I will tell you this much typically if he would have chosen that route the Feds would have nailed him to the wall. Just to clarify I am not saying he shouldn't have said exactly that but what I am saying is the Feds would have most likely tried to make an example out of him without his cooperation

Then be a man and take it like a man! Most likely he was getting a fine and not even jail time. Be responsible for your actions and take the heat! Or you would become a rat and sell out everybody to save your neck?!?

 

[imatroll]

Personally, I feel that Paul Becker should have some consequences. I don't see why someone would allow him to even show his face here.
I haven't bought anything from Becker yet, but after seeing so many good reviews and those video reviews from Robc, I knew it couldn't hurt. In fact, I still had a tab open on petcenterusa until I stumbled upon this. I have no interest in buying from someone without integrity*. And (from one of the first pages, someone mentioned) he didn't kill anybody or anything like that, but it's the principle of the matter that counts. We're supposed to help the tarantula/arachnid hobby, and do it legally (even if it costs a bit more), not do something like this.

*In case Paul is reading this, I feel I need to define integrity for him, because he probably hasn't heard of it yet.
Integrity (received from dictionary.reference.com) is adherence to moral and ethical principles.

 

[xhexdx]

To those who feel PB should face consequences - the best they can do as individuals is to not purchase from him.

 

[Ecstasy]

Ahh! Thats it? That is all the time he has to serve? Its only six months. I personally would be more upset about losing $4000! Of course, he is losing more by not being home and running his business.

I wonder how much time Paul would have had to serve if he didnt sell out...?

I'm actually a Correctional Officer. I talk to inmates all the time that are doing time and whether people believe it or not you'd be surprised at how long 6 months is. Especially when you're able to see your family but can't touch them or hug them. Granted in some jails you may be able to, but not down here. Some people don't even want their family to see them like that because it's not a good place to be and they're not proud of being there. Just anything really could make the time seem like a lot longer then it actually is.

 

[Redneck]

If you've never been to jail before...6 months is a long time.

I understand its not going to be easy. But it has to be alot better than getting years on top of years kind of sentence....

This could have went another way.

What would have happened when Paul was first caught with the illegally shipped package from Taiwan if he had said, yep I cheated the Fed out of some tax/fee money with this package, I'll take the hit for it and I'm not saying another word? I'll take my attorney now thank you very much.

Then kept his mouth shut and paid the piper.

This thread would have been a heck of a lot smaller.

THIS is what Paul SHOULD have done! I bet he would have gained more respect in doing so. Maybe a little atleast.

I do agree that the brown boxing was a stupid mistake/choice/thing to do... But to turn on you business partners, so you dont take all the heat? Shame...

 

[DamoK21]

To the PB fans:

Did you not READ the links ?, He clearly pointed the finger at YOU the hobbyist, and at the other RETAILERS !, he did NOT take responcibility, and then gave a sob story...

Go back to the links and you will clearly see, he pointed at us and said it is our faults, and then a couple of days later, he admits and gives a sob sob story with it, to try and dissmiss his actions...

As for the "Stress messes with your mind, and makes you do things you wouldnt normally do" !, yes it does, it makes you become depressed, suicidle, angry, aggressive. Somone who is stressed does NOT sit there and say, hmm im stressed, you know what, im going to smuggle and makes me loads of dollor !! because im stressed... Doesnt cut.

As for the whole "Pointing fingers", how are we, the evidence is there, and he lied and blamed everyone else but not him self. Its not pointing fingers, he dug this grave for him self, he has to fill it in.

Also, how long has he been doing this for, his sob story about somone who has cancer, im sure he has been doing this a long time. How long has this victim had cancer ? a long time by sounds of it... So again your sob storyy is just an excuse, to make others feel for you, it is not actually the way it went down though is it paul, still lieing and deciving... Good one

 

[Redfield]

This is my first post here.

I've been meaning to sign up for a while... and it's unfortunate this is what motivates me to finally do so.

Paul was my first purchase of a living creature online and I decided on him after talking to some hobbyists and finding him very reputable. Before that I got all of my tarantulas either from pet stores or once from someone local who I drove to meet. A lot of my current tarantulas came from him and I haven't used an online dealer since... I'm just very shocked and disappointed by this. Quite worried about where I buy my next tarantula online - though I know it won't be from Paul Becker.

I really hope he gets in trouble. It's just messed up that people do and lie about these things. Lying is something you'd expect from Petco or such, selling wild caught animals or lying about whatever else will get them a sale. But the thing is, most of those employees don't know anything. Paul knows what he was doing!

So that's my two sense. I'm glad my friend linked me to this thread or I probably wouldn't have known.

 

[Noexcuse4you]

Do you drive above the speed limit? Do you stop at stop signs for a full 3 seconds?

Do you download music from the Internet without paying for it?

If you answered 'Yes' to any of these things, do you feel like you're on the same plane as Paul?

Agreed. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

 

[xhexdx]

People throw others under the bus all the time.

People talk smack about others all the time.

He's not the first, he's not the last. In fact, this thread is riddled with posts where people are talking smack.

I personally agree with what was said earlier - links to the court docs have been posted for everyone to see...that was the purpose of this thread, wasn't it? No real point in continuing to post in the thread, other than to keep it on Page 1 of this subforum...

 

[imatroll]

People throw others under the bus all the time.

People talk smack about others all the time.

He's not the first, he's not the last. In fact, this thread is riddled with posts where people are talking smack.

I personally agree with what was said earlier - links to the court docs have been posted for everyone to see...that was the purpose of this thread, wasn't it? No real point in continuing to post in the thread, other than to keep it on Page 1 of this subforum...

Which is good enough reason to continue. Paul Becker isn't the first, and we all know he won't be the last, but this is big for the tarantula hobby. He was a very respectable dealer, and to US, something like this is a big deal.

 

[Krissy K]

The problem is not whether either of them have a license. The problem is that the shipment was purposely made to circumvent Customs and USFWS. Spiders sent internationally need to be declared to Customs and USFWS. This was not done here.
Posted from AB Mobile

Ah, I see now. I wasn't sure what this was all about. I knew bits and pieces but since i hadnt read the documents I wasnt too sure.
And, since Paul said he was "awaiting sentencing" so-to-speak, he has apparently been proven guilty. And besides, after reading everyone's opinions, I was beginning to understand what this was about and that he was guilty in some way. I don't know whether his apology was sincere. I don't know if i'll ever order from him again.
and I'm pretty sure most people who get into "hobbies" and breed in those hobbies, have some idea of gaining profit. even though everything i read on just about breeding any animal states that this is no way to gain profit, obviously people still do it. So usually if someone is breeding an animal, they want some kind of profit. I do, however, understand there are exceptions to every situations. so please do not take this the wrong way I do not mean to offend or accuse anyone.
I will be more cautious with who i order from. And i suggest everyone else do the same. This is no reason to stop ordering offline. there are many reputable breeders out there. And i will be one to admit i ordered from paul because he was cheaper. but also because other sellers didn't have any versis left or didnt have GBBs but also because he was helpful. I also saw he had many positive reviews. (well technically my sister ordered from him, but the T's were for both of us) I don't know if i will buy from him anymore. But i probably won't be buying from many people anyway, I have better and more important things for my money to go towards, and since i dont have a "taxable" job, i dont have much money and must save what i do get for my current animals (guinea pigs fish and a hamster. im a babysitter/petsitter btw hence the not taxable job)

 

[xhexdx]

Which is good enough reason to continue. Paul Becker isn't the first, and we all know he won't be the last, but this is big for the tarantula hobby. He was a very respectable dealer, and to US, something like this is a big deal.

It's not a big deal to me. Just don't buy from him, end of story.

I see other dealers do things I find immoral and unethical as well - I don't buy from them, either.

Ok All you Paul Becker supporters in here I really don't think you understand how this effects dealers and breeders here in the USA!This puts a huge hurting on dealers importing legally and also people who are investing large amounts of money into buying stock to breed as well.

-Chris

Can you elaborate?