American Museum of Natural History Curator Arrested in Turkey 

Monday May 15, 2024, Lorenzo Prendini a  curator employed at the American Museum of Natural History was detained at Istanbul Airport for allegedly attempting to smuggle spider and scorpion samples. The curator, Lorenzo Prendini, claims to have had permits from the Turkish government allowing him to collaborate and conduct research with local Turkish scientists. 

As police searched Prendini’s luggage they began removing plastic bags filled with approximately 1,500 spider and scorpion specimen native to Turkey. 

Prendini is responsible for the spider, scorpion, centipede and millipede collections at the American Museum of Natural History. Prendini claims the Turkish police disregarded the permits and that the police relied on the testimony of an “expert” whom is a conflict of interest with those he collaborated with during his time in Istanbul. 

“The police completely ignored this and relied on the testimony of an ‘expert who has a conflict of interest with my collaborators… and whose scientific research is highly questionable. The Police have completely violated due process and it appears they would like to find me guilty in the court of public opinion” Prendini told the Associated Press.   

Original reports of this incident were disclosed by ABC News and Demiroren News Agency on Monday 15, 2024.