Cuba News and Information

Associated Press

A federal investigation is under way into whether a Reno businessman violated a US trade embargo by purchasing six dolphins in Cuba.

Graham Simpson, who started a Caribbean company that offers the public a chance to swim with dolphins, is the target of the investigation by the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.

Simpson admits he bought the dolphins in Cuba for about $200,000, but says he thought the purchases were legal since he was living on the island of Anguilla at the time.

Born in South Africa, Simpson has dual US and British citizenship and moved back to Reno about a year ago.

But federal officials, who were tipped off about the dolphin sale in August 2001, say Simpson’s argument is not a valid excuse.

They say -S citizens must abide by US laws, regardless of what other passports they have.