Michael Wenzel (back) and Robert Lee “Bo” Benac (front) have been identified as two of the men allegedly behind a video that went viral of a boat dragging a shark at high speed. Photo: Facebook
New details have emerged surrounding two of the men allegedly behind a cruel video that went viral over the last few weeks that has activists up in arms. According to Miami-based shark fisherman Mark Quartiano, who posted the video of a shark tethered to the back of a fishing boat going high speed, two Instagram users sent him the video via direct message. Quartiano was appalled and posted the video with the caption, “CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WTF IS GOING ON HERE????” Presumably, the two were after some sort of validation from the accomplished fisherman known as Mark the Shark who consistently posts images of sharks he catches with a variation of the phrase, “WAKE UP HIPPIES AND VEGANS.”
Earlier this week we reported the incident is currently under investigation by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission Division of Law Enforcement, and that the organization could not confirm the identities of the individuals involved “per normal protocol.”
As it happens, in his post, Mark the Shark includes the handles of the two Instagram users who sent him the video, @bearjew428 and @MICHAELWENZEL. Both accounts have since been deleted, but an astute commenter on that earlier story sent us a link to an Everipedia page that alleges the same Michael Wenzel from the video has been involved in a laundry list of similar animal abuse incidents. The page also claims to inculpate a friend of Wenzel’s, Robert Lee “Bo” Benac. Benac’s mother, Betsy Benac, is the Commissioner of Manatee County, Florida and Wenzel’s father is planning manager for the county.
The Inertia is unable to independently verify the validity of these claims. But in addition to the shark-dragging incident, the page (which is entirely open source) claims that back in January Wenzel posted a video of himself to Snapchat pouring a beer into the gills of a hammerhead shark with the caption, “Who needs a beer bong.”
Wenzel’s other alleged offenses include posting a photo of himself shooting a tarpon with a handgun on July 28, 2016, posting photos of himself with tarpon he shot and killed with a harpoon a year earlier (tarpon are a catch-and-release-only species), catching and posting a photo with a spotted eagle ray (a protected species) in 2014, and posting a photo pouring a beer into the into the mouth of an Atlantic Goliath grouper (also a protected species). Benac reportedly held the fish in the latter incident.
According to the Miami Herald, state and federal officials investigated Wenzel in 2015 after he posted disturbing photos with pelicans and a gull (both protected species under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act). The case was closed in January.
This most recent incident, though, has gotten the attention of Florida Governor Rick Scott who said in a letter to FWC Chairman Brian Yablonski:
“I encourage FWC to review Florida’s fishing regulations and state statutes to ensure such inhumane acts are strictly prohibited. I know that FWC law enforcement works to protect all of Florida’s wildlife and we need to make certain they have the tools to ensure Florida has the best fisheries in the world.”
Kelly Slater also included a link to Wenzel’s Everipedia page in his Instagram bio along with the following comment, “When’s this Michael Wenzel kid gonna be questioned about all his fish and animal offenses?”
WTF Florida created a Change.org petition calling for community service and jail time for the men behind the shark-dragging incident. The petition has already garnered over 166 thousand signatures.
