Seafood Fraud: How the Codfather Case Helps Combat Mislabeling

In 2016, a massive seafood fraud case shook New Bedford, Massachusetts. It was perpetrated by Carlos Rafael,known locally as "The Codfather." He eventually admitted to more than two dozen criminal charges.

With IRS agents disguised as Russian mobsters and duffle bags of cash in international smuggling, the details of this case make for more than just a good story. The case of The Codfather exemplifies the importance and necessity of law enforcement to level the playing field for law abiding fishermen and their families.

In our new episode, special agent Troy Audyatis of NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement shares the background on Carlos. He tells a cautionary tale of the rise and fall of his commercial fishing empire and criminal enterprise. We'll also hear from Dr. Geret DePiper, a research economist at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center. His newly published research gives regulators a new tool to detect fraud and prevent future bad actors.