A businessman whose viral video captured him declaring he was “rich enough” to dodge repercussions for allegedly harming an endangered seal species in Hawaii now faces the challenge of proving his wealth, following the imposition of two federal charges related to the incident.

Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk, a 38-year-old resident of Covington, Washington, is accused of hurling a rock at an endangered Hawaiian monk seal’s head on May 5. The scene, recorded by locals, features one of the world’s rarest marine creatures.

Lytvynchuk, who claimed his wealth could shield him from the consequences when confronted by onlookers, owns a logistics and trucking enterprise headquartered in Kent, Washington, according to business records.

This 38-year-old businessman, Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk, now faces two federal charges for allegedly striking an endangered Hawaiian monk seal with a rock on May 5, 2026, as per the Department of Justice.

In the video, a woman is heard exclaiming, “What are you doing? Why would you throw a rock at it? Hello?” as the man, dressed in a white shirt and swim trunks, tosses a rock at the seal’s head along a Maui beach.

The Hawaiian monk seal in the video is called “Lani” by loving locals, according to a Department of Justice release announcing the charges. There are only about 1,600 Hawaiian monk seals in the wild.

Lytvynchuk has been charged with harassing and attempting to harass the endangered animal in violation of the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act, according to the DOJ. He was arrested near Seattle on Wednesday.

A Hawaiian monk seal rests on the rocky shore of Lehua Island near Niihau, Hawaii. The species, Neomonachus schauinslandi, is endangered. (Andre Seale/VW PICS/Universal Images Group)

He could face up to a year in prison for both the harassment and attempted harassment charges, along with a $50,000 fine under the Endangered Species Act and a fine of up to $20,000 under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

‘ODD-LOOKING’ DEEP SEA FISH WASHES UP ON BEACH, SURPRISING LOCALS 

“The rock narrowly missed her nose, startling her, and causing her to rear up out of the water,” the release says. “According to witnesses, Lani remained largely immobile for an extended period of time after the incident, which caused much concern over her welfare.”

Upon being confronted by the witnesses, Lytvynchuk dismissed their concerns, noting that he was “rich enough to pay the fines” should he get in trouble.

Two Hawaiian monk seals swim in the surf at Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in Hawaii. (Auscape/Universal Images Group)

“The unique and precious wildlife of the Hawaiian Islands are renowned symbols of Hawaii’s special place in the world and its incredible biodiversity. We are committed to protecting our vulnerable wild species, in particular endangered Hawaiian monk seals, like Lani,” said U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson. “We pledge that those who harass and attempt to harm our protected wildlife will face rapid accountability in federal court.”  

The video set off a social media firestorm, and users quickly identified the suspect, leading to calls for his arrest.

After his arrest, users celebrated.

“Karma doesn’t care how rich you are,” said on X user.

“Let’s hope justice is served in court and this scumbag receives a significant custodial sentence,” said another.

It was not immediately clear if Lytvynchuk had an attorney.

Myles Turner’s candid comments have exposed the turmoil within the Milwaukee Bucks this season, with Giannis Antetokounmpo at the center of the chaos.

After signing a surprising four-year, $108.9 million contract following his departure from the Pacers, the Bucks’ star center revealed on the “Game Recognize Game” podcast, hosted by Breanna Stewart, that the team faced significant internal issues, including chronic lateness.

“Honestly, it was a mess,” Turner recounted on the podcast. “If our flight was scheduled for 2 PM, we wouldn’t actually leave until 4:30. I’m not joking. It became normal for guys to show up hours late. I eventually started arriving an hour after the scheduled time because it was just chaos.”

When Stewart inquired about the main culprit, Turner didn’t hesitate to point fingers.

“That’s simple: Giannis,” he revealed. “Giannis would just show up whenever he felt like it. It seemed to be just how things were. Once I saw it happening, I thought, ‘Hey, if they’re not going to penalize you, do your thing.’”

When Stewart, star of the WNBA’s Liberty, said her new coach Chris DeMarco added a fine system that includes $25 penalties for missed free-throw box-outs, Turner added that now ex-Bucks coach Doc Rivers, who has since retired, “didn’t fine anyone ever.”

“Guys were showing up to film whenever they wanted to show up; guys were missing meetings. It was one of the craziest things I’ve personally ever experienced,” Turner said.

On other teams, he said, players were fined regularly.

Taylor Jenkins, the Bucks’ new coach, will need to make changes following a horrific 32-50 regular season.

Antetokounmpo appears likely to be traded this offseason, given the extent of the dysfunction Turner described, as well as public comments from front office executives when the team introduced Jenkins.

“We will do what’s best for Giannis and what’s best for the organization,” Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam said during a press conference to introduce Jenkins. “We don’t know whether Giannis will stay with us or not, but we’ll work through that with Giannis in the coming weeks.”

The expectation is that a solution to this incoherent situation will be found before the 2026 NBA Draft in June.

Antetokounmpo has been publicly upset with the franchise that held him out to end the season due to injuries, public stating that he was healthy enough to play.

His next team odds have the Celtics as the primary option to trade for his services, should he be dealt this offseason.

An elderly woman’s tragic death under the ruins of a stone church, brought down by a tornado, has sparked a lawsuit from her grieving husband. This heartbreaking incident, which occurred last year, saw 74-year-old Patricia Penelton lose her life when the church’s ancient steeple collapsed onto her.

At the time of the tornado, Patricia was inside the church, assisting with meal services, while her husband, Harry Penelton, was out shopping for supplies at Sam’s Club. In an interview with First Alert 4, Harry recounted the devastating moment he received the call about his wife’s dire situation. “They said, when you hear this, just get there,” he recalled. “That’s the kind of news you get that she didn’t make it.”

In his lawsuit, Harry contends that the church was aware of the building’s need for structural repairs and asserts it was not suitably fortified to endure such intense weather. His claims, as reported by the Daily Mail, highlight the preventable nature of the tragedy that took his wife’s life. Harry’s legal action seeks to hold the church accountable for the alleged negligence that led to this sorrowful outcome.

‘They said, when you hear this, just get there,’ he said. ‘So that’s the kind of news you get that she didn’t make it.’ 

Harry is now claiming the church knew the building needed structural repairs and was not adequate enough to withstand a strong storm, he said in a lawsuit viewed by the Daily Mail. 

‘The church building was poorly maintained and structurally defective,’ the lawsuit, filed days before the one-year anniversary, said. 

The father accused the church of knowing its steeple was ‘inadequately bonded without mortar and/or crumbly mortar.’ 

‘The structure was not in reasonably safe condition and therefore created a dangerous condition,’ Harry alleged in court documents.

Patricia Penelton, 74, died when a tornado struck a St Louis church, causing the steeple to fall on her, last year. Above, with her husband Harry, who is taking legal action over her death

The Centennial Christian Church of St Louis was reduced to rubble in May last year

Harry also blamed the City of St Louis for not sounding tornado sirens, leaving his wife – the only one who died at the church – with no time to find an appropriate shelter before the twister devastated the church, which opened in 1904. 

An August report found that 22 of the city’s 60 tornado sirens did not go off on May 16 last year, for ‘various reasons,’ according to Fox 2 Now.  

The tornado left massive piles of bricks in the church’s front courtyard and around the building. The steeple was nearly completely torn down, while the side of the building and the roof suffered significant damage. 

The church was demolished last month. The congregation plans to rebuild a new building on the same site. 

Despite the church being able to rebuild stronger, Harry has felt his life ‘stop’ after Penelton’s death. The couple had been married for 54 years, he told First Alert 4. 

‘You just sit there in a daze, even at the house, thinking about how you miss her,’ he said. ‘Everything just hits, everything just stops.

‘I feel upset and, you know, lonely.’  

He is now asking for a trial by jury and to be awarded $25,000 in damages for his wife’s death, which has left him in mental anguish, the lawsuit said. 

The church’s roof, steeple, and side wall suffered significant damage 

Harry has accused the church of knowing there was a need for structural repairs prior to the storm, according to a lawsuit 

The tornado that struck St Louis on that fateful day caused more than $1.6 billion in damage. 

The church plans to rebuild on the same site, which will include affordable housing, a health clinic and a soup kitchen. 

Patricia helped the church’s soup kitchen before her death, serving tens of thousands of meals to the hungry residents of St Louis. 

Harry said his wife’s work with the church’s food ministry made him proudest. 

One of his fondest memories is a cold day when he and his wife came to the church to feed people, despite many not coming in because of the extreme weather. But Patricia was insistent they go anyway, because ‘people need to eat.’ They served around 40 people, he told First Alert 4. 

A year later, Harry still helps with food kitchens in honor of his late wife.

The community still mourns the loss of Patricia, a prominent figure at the church. 

Harry said churchgoers would call the congregation before their house phone if they needed either him or ‘Miss Pat,’ which is why he now jokes she had to take the church with her when she went. 

Patricia was an active member in the church since the 1980s, helping in the food ministry as well as being in the choir

Harry is also accusing the city of not sounding the fire alarms, leaving his wife without adequate time to find shelter 

‘She’s still truly remembered in this neighborhood and in the city in general, those who knew her,’ Harry told First Alert 4. 

‘She was a diamond in the rough that people got to know. And no one was a stranger to her.’ 

The Texas native is remembered for her deep sense of devotion and her life’s work to uplift others, her obituary said. 

She and Harry met at Texas A&I University, where she received an English degree. They married in 1970. 

Penelton worked as an English teacher for many years before transitioning to AT&T, where she worked as an operations manager until she retired in 2003. 

She would later go back to work for Charter Communications before finally retiring in 2018. 

Penelton was known for her deep faith, which was a ‘cornerstone of her life.’ 

The church before the storm. The site was demolished last month and a new one will be built

She and Harry became devout members of Centennial when they moved to St Louis in 1986. She served as a church moderator, deacon, usher and educator. 

She and Harry were also members of the church choir. She also sang with the St Louis Symphony Orchestra for 27 years. 

‘While her physical presence will be deeply missed, her love and dedication remain an everlasting light in our hearts. 

‘Her legacy of leadership and service will forever inspire those who had the privilege of knowing her,’ her obituary read.

The Daily Mail has reached out to the church for comment. The city does not comment on pending litigation.