YouTuber LISHARKMAN Faces Criminal Charges Over Great White Shark Capture on Cape Cod
New York YouTuber Christopher Stefanou faces animal cruelty charges after allegedly capturing a protected great white shark on Cape Cod. Read the details.
POLICY WIRE — Barnstable, Massachusetts — A prominent New York-based YouTuber known as LISHARKMAN is facing criminal charges following allegations that he targeted and captured a great white shark off the coast of Cape Cod.
Christopher Stefanou, who boasts a following of over two million subscribers on his YouTube channel, allegedly traveled to the eastern shores of Cape Cod last October with a European client to hunt the predator. Cape & Islands District Attorney Robert J. Galibois stated that the group utilized a drone and specialized equipment to drag a specific great white shark, identified as Aaron, onto the beach.
Prosecutors allege that the men took photographs with the animal before eventually releasing it back into the water. Following an investigation, Stefanou was arraigned in Barnstable Superior Court on October 21, where a judge set his bail at $10,000.
The charges brought against Stefanou include animal cruelty to a shark, illegal fishing for shark, mechanical deployment of bait, attempted capture of a shark, and possession of a protected species. As part of his release conditions, the court ordered him to surrender his fishing license, delete the footage of the incident, and refrain from entering Massachusetts except for court-related appearances.
Jon A. Ciraulo, the attorney representing Stefanou, stated that his client maintains his innocence and intends to challenge the allegations. Ciraulo noted that his client respects the sport, engages in conservation and marine tagging efforts, and volunteers to educate others on responsible angling.
Stefanou, a Long Island resident who operates private land-based shark fishing charters, is scheduled to return to court on December 11. His online presence has previously featured videos of him handling various wildlife, including an alligator in Florida and a sand tiger shark.
Under Massachusetts law, great white sharks are strictly protected, and any attempt to lure, catch, or disturb them is prohibited. Cape Cod serves as the primary aggregation site for the species in the western North Atlantic, largely due to the region’s dense gray seal population.
The shark involved in the incident, known as Aaron, measures 9 and a half feet long. According to the White Shark Logbook, the animal has been tracked via acoustic detection more than 5,000 times in Massachusetts waters.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
