Mainer gets year for fish scheme Three sentenced for smuggling

NEW YORK – A man with ties to Maine who led companies that smuggled Chilean sea bass and rock lobsters from South Africa to the United States for at least 15 years was sentenced Friday to nearly four years in prison.

Arnold Maurice Bengis, 68, a South African and U.S. national with homes in Manhattan, Bridgehampton, N.Y., and Cape Town, South Africa, must serve three years and 10 months in prison.

U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan also sentenced Jeffrey Noll, 53, of Marietta, Ga., to two years and six months in prison and David Bengis, 34, of Falmouth, Maine, to one year in prison for their roles in the scheme. Both men also led companies involved in the smuggling, prosecutors said.

David Bengis was president of Icebrand Seafoods Maine Inc., one of three major lobster freezing and processing firms in the state.

The judge said Arnold Bengis demonstrated an “astonishing display of arrogance,” even hiring a private investigator to follow U.S. agents during their probe, according to a government release.

Arnold Bengis and Noll were ordered to forfeit a total of $5.9 million to the government while David Bengis, Arnold Bengis’ son, must give up his $1.5 million fish processing factory.

The judge said restitution might be ordered during a future court hearing.

Arnold Bengis and Noll each had pleaded guilty to conspiracy, smuggling and importing wildlife caught in violation of foreign or state law. David Bengis had pleaded guilty to conspiracy.

Prosecutors said the men imported lobster and sea bass in violation of South African and international law because they were dealing in quantities not allowed or were without required permits.