A YouTuber accused of dragging a protected great white shark onto a Cape Cod beach to pose for photographs has been barred from entering Massachusetts as he faces animal cruelty charges.
Here's what to know
From Long Island, N.Y., Christopher Stefanou, known online as "Lisharkman," has more than two million YouTube subscribers, but faces court-ordered restrictions on the social media posts that brought the encounter to authorities' attention.
His court appearance included charges of possessing a protected shark species and cruelty to a shark, according to PetaPixel.
Prosecutors allege that the "goal of capturing a great white shark" motivated Stefanou's October 2025 trip to Cape Cod's eastern shoreline, in a release from the Cape and Islands District Attorney's Office, PetaPixel reported.
The images and video Stefanou uploaded to social media documented the catch after he had released the animal. Prosecutors allege that he posed for photographs after pulling the shark ashore, having caught it with banned equipment that included a drone.
The allegations have not been established as findings of guilt.
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More background
The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries tagged a great white named Aaron and tracked it closely. PetaPixel identified Aaron as the shark involved in the encounter.
Stefanou's online posts depicted him and his crew celebrating and posing alongside the shark before releasing it. Those posts brought the encounter to authorities' attention.
In a similar incident, an influencer couple sat on a sea turtle laying eggs in Oman for photographs. The couple also faces legal proceedings over the photographs.
What's being done?
At his arraignment, the judge ordered Stefanou to delete his social media images and footage of himself posing alongside the great white, according to PetaPixel.
The court order prohibits Stefanou from entering Massachusetts and also requires him to surrender his fishing license. The judge set his bail at $10,000.
The court imposed these restrictions while he faces charges; they do not reflect a conviction or final sentence.
The judge's order also covered further video uploads: The Cape and Islands District Attorney's Office press release says Stefanou was told to "not post additional videos," per PetaPixel.
Where can I learn more?
Wildlife encounters in Massachusetts and elsewhere have led to both rescue efforts and injuries, as these stories show.
• In India, a snake handler dragged a protected python that then bit him.
• Off Cape Cod, Massachusetts rescuers freed an entangled minke whale after a 40-mile chase.
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