Fishing captain Mark “The Shark” Quartiano is famous in Florida for being a deep sea fisherman, with a speciality for shark fishing. But despite spending most of his life hunting underwater big game, Quartiano found himself shocked and outraged when four young men shared a video with him.

Michael Wenzel, Bo Benac, Spencer Heintz and Nicholas Burns Easterling roped a shark behind their speedboat and drove off — with the live shark still attached to the boat. The helpless animal trailed behind them, thrashing in and out of the water, as the four men cackled and gloated over their “catch.”

"I was horrified," Mark Quartiano later told CNN. "I've been shark fishing for 50 years and I've never seen a disrespect for an animal my entire career that was that evil."

Michael Wenzel was proud enough of his sick antics to post a follow-up photograph, showing the shark’s carcass after being dragged by the boat:

Source | Michael Wenzel displays body of shark he maimed

The word “evil” has been applied liberally to the creators of this video. But as news of their identities spread, others found equally appalling evidence of animal cruelty on the men’s social media channels.

One despicable photo showed Michael Wenzel posing with a sick dog that he intended to use as shark bait.

WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGE BELOW:

Source: everipedia.com

All of the men involved also have lengthy criminal records, despite being very wealthy and hailing from affluent Florida families. A close friend of the group has been identified as Alex Kompothecras, a society boy from Florida who will be the star of upcoming MTV reality series Siesta Key. The premiere party for Siesta Key was recently canceled due to uproar over the shark video.

Who are these animal abusers, and what’s in their background reports?

Michael Wenzel

Source: everipedia.com

According to local sources, 21-year-old Michael Robert Wenzel of Palmetto, Florida, is a well-known animal abuser who has been illegally terrorizing the Florida coast for years.

He has been filmed torturing animals, and he allegedly used a sick dog as bait for sharks while fishing. In addition to shooting fish with a handgun, he was also filmed pouring beer into the gills of a dying hammerhead shark while mugging for the camera.

“They’ve been well-known animal abusers for a long time. A ton of animal groups, from no-kill shelters to Save the Tarpon, have been after them for years,” a local Floridian told the local press. “Someone needs to dig into it, why they keep getting away with it. And why are their parents defending them? If I did something like this, my parents would never talk to me again.”

Wenzel was also arrested in 2014 for illegally carrying a concealed weapon. It’s a well-known fact that psychopaths and serial killers often start out by torturing animals, so it’s very concerning that Wenzel is also accused of carrying concealed firearms. Wenzel has also accrued criminal records for driving recklessly.

Robert and Melissa Wenzel both have criminal records of their own. Robert Wenzel is a Planning Section Manager for Manatee County, and he is on the Manatee Board of County Commissioners. Melissa Wenzel also has several traffic infractions on her record.

Who are Michael Wenzel’s parents, and are they really protecting him?

Robert Lee "Bo" Benac​

Source: everipedia.org

Robert Lee Benac, also known as Bo Benac, has an equally disturbing history of posting disgusting photographs that show him abusing live animals. In the photograph above, Benac pours beer into the mouth of a Atlantic goliath grouper, a protected fish in Florida.

Robert Lee Benac has a documented history of abusing wildlife. Check out his criminal record from 2008:

The fact that these men are the children of prominent government officials in Florida has raised a few eyebrows. Bo Benac is the son of Betsy Benac, the Republican chairwoman of Manatee County.

Bo Benac was also busted for drug possession in 2007. So much for raising a political dynasty!

Spencer Heintz​

Spencer Heintz, like his friends, is also the son of another rich Floridian. Heintz’s father is Steven Heintz, one of the leading partners from a personal injury law firm in Florida. Ironic, considering how many reports show up on Spencer’s criminal record section on TruthFinder:

Nicholas Burns Easterling​

Surprise, surprise! Nicholas Burns Easterling also has a criminal record! In March 2016, Easterling got slapped with a DUI. Apparently, all four of these animal torturers have repeatedly shown that they believe the law doesn’t apply to them.

What Happens Next?

The international uproar over the shark dragging video has prompted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to investigate the video. The backlash has prompted over 50,000 signatures on a Change.org petition, and celebrities are also picking up the cause.

Siesta Key’s Kompothecras has already started his MTV career with a cold shoulder from established reality TV stars. Vanderpump Rule’s LaLa Kent has specifically singled him out on social media, demanding that her fans boycott Siesta Key.

Commenters are hopeful that Siesta Key will be canceled, or at least Kompothecras will get the can. Like the other men, he also has a criminal record for fraud!





There is nothing aspirational about the lifestyles of criminals and animal torturers … no matter how rich their parents are.

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