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The legal counsel for a businessman facing allegations of harassing a protected Hawaiian monk seal is publicly asserting his client’s innocence following a widely shared video of the incident that has drawn considerable online backlash.
Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk, age 38, residing in Covington, Washington, is accused of propelling a stone towards the head of an endangered Hawaiian monk seal—one of the planet’s most scarce marine creatures—earlier this month, an event captured on film by onlookers.
Lytvynchuk was apprehended near Seattle last week and subsequently charged with the offense of harassing and attempting to harass a protected animal, contravening the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act, as per the Department of Justice.
Should he be found guilty, he could be subject to a maximum of one year imprisonment for each charge, coupled with a penalty of up to $50,000 under the Endangered Species Act and up to $20,000 under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk, 38, is confronted with two federal counts related to the alleged act of throwing a rock at the head of a vulnerable Hawaiian monk seal on May 5, 2026. (Department of Justice)
Lytvynchuk’s attorney, Myles Breiner, recently spoke in defense of his client, stating that his client harbored no intention of causing harm to the creature.
“I wish to emphatically convey to the public—he never intended to inflict harm upon the monk seal,” Breiner communicated to KHON-TV News.
As per Breiner, Lytvynchuk was under the impression that he was safeguarding sea turtles, or honu, that were resting on coastal rocks.
A Hawaiian monk seal accompanied by its newborn pup rests on a Waikiki beach in Honolulu on June 29, 2017. (Audrey McAvoy/AP)
“His aim was to drive the seal away from the honu he observed nearby,” he elaborated. “It appears there were two sizable turtles, and one had already been dislodged from the rock by the seal.”
Breiner further mentioned that his client was unaware of the protected status of Hawaiian monk seals and was influenced by previous encounters with aggressive sea lions while engaged in fishing activities off the coast of Washington state.
“Sea lions exhibit considerable aggression,” Breiner remarked. “They will seize your bait, they will take your catch—that has been his experience.”
A Hawaiian monk seal basks in the sun on a beach in Ko Olina, Oahu, Hawaii, on March 27, 2022. (Danielle Pellini/Unknown)
Prosecutors assert that a viral video and eyewitness testimonies were instrumental in leading to the accusation. According to the legal filing, Lytvynchuk informed witnesses that he was “wealthy enough to cover the penalties,” a statement that his legal representative refutes.
“What are you doing? Why would you toss a rock at it? Hello?” a female voice is heard exclaiming in the video, as an individual attired in a white shirt and swimming trunks hurls a rock towards the seal on a Maui shoreline.
Following the confrontation by witnesses, Lytvynchuk purportedly retorted that he was “rich enough to pay the fines” should he encounter legal repercussions.
A Hawaiian monk seal slumbers on a beach in Hawaii. (Ryan Jenkinson/Department of Land and Natural Resources, Hawaii)
Business documentation indicates that Lytvynchuk is the proprietor of a transport and logistics enterprise headquartered in Kent, Washington.
Breiner stated that his client intends to accept accountability for transgressing the law, but he contests the assertions that his client deliberately sought to harm the seal.
“He acknowledges that he made an imprudent choice, but the decision was not motivated by an intent to injure the animal,” Breiner stated.
The attorney also contested the reports suggesting Lytvynchuk claimed to be affluent enough to settle any fines.
“That was a misunderstanding,” Breiner clarified. “The remark was, ‘I have the means to afford it.’”
Fox News Digital has sought comment from Breiner.
Peter D’Abrosca of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.