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Friends of Wildlife Justice Commission Inc
New York, NY · EIN 822112680 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE D31 · Animal-Related · Small ($100K-$1M) · wildlifejustice.org
revenue
$153K
expenses
$159K
net assets
$190K
employees
0
program ratio
96%
mission · from form 990

The organizations activities will focus on creating a future in which wildlife crimes no longer exist because governments effectively enforce their existing laws.

profile · synthesized from sources

International nonprofit focused on combating wildlife trafficking through intelligence-led investigations and law enforcement collaboration. Conducts long-term undercover operations to gather evidence and dismantle transnational criminal networks involved in illegal trade of endangered species. Partners with government agencies globally to disrupt wildlife crime and strengthen enforcement.

named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

Downfall of Vietnam’s Wolf of Wall Street
Investigation report detailing the pursuit of Ah Nam, one of Asia’s biggest traffickers of elephant and rhino products.
Operation Dragon
Undercover investigation conducted between 2016-2018 targeting major turtle and tortoise traffickers in Southeast Asia, developed in collaboration with Indian and Malaysian law enforcement agencies and INTERPOL.
Seizure
Undercover documentary film premiering in December 2025 that exposes criminal networks driving wildlife trafficking.
Wildlife Kingpin podcast series
Original podcast series following real-life investigations into wildlife crime, including Season 1 on the hunt for a major trafficker of elephant and rhino products, and Season 2 on Operation Dragon targeting turtle and tortoise trafficking in Southeast Asia.
activities · 2 groups

What they do

  • Law Enforcement Professional Development 1 activity
    • Providing training and capacity building for law enforcement agencies
      Builds long-term enforcement capacity by delivering tailored, intelligence-focused training, operational support, and ongoing mentorship to law enforcement analysts and investigators in Asia, Africa, and other regions to combat wildlife, timber, and fisheries crime.
  • Uncategorized 4 activities
    • Advocating for stronger government action and policy on environmental crime
      Works to influence policy and build political will to combat transnational environmental crime by contributing to international forums such as the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, co-organizing advocacy events with UNODC during Ocean Decade Week, and calling for stronger enforcement and legislative action against wildlife, timber, and fisheries crime.
    • Conducting intelligence-led investigations into transnational wildlife, timber, and fisheries crime
      Conducts long-term, law enforcement-oriented investigations to collect verifiable, actionable evidence on transnational criminal networks involved in the trafficking of wildlife (including ivory, rhino horn, pangolin scales, primates, exotic birds, big cats, reptiles, and marine species), illegal logging, and fisheries crime. These operations have led to significant seizures, arrests, and disruptions across Africa, Asia, South America, and marine territories, with some investigations lasting up to two years.
    • Conducting research and publishing analytical reports on wildlife crime
      Produces in-depth research and publishes public reports analyzing trends in transnational wildlife crime, including trafficking of pangolin scales and ivory (2015–2024), giant clam shells, turtle and tortoise trade corruption, and implementation of the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. Has published 21 public reports since 2015 and produces a podcast series documenting real investigations.
    • Maintaining in-country operational presence and partnerships for wildlife crime enforcement
      Operates in-country offices in the Netherlands, the United States, and Thailand (established in 2023) to support frontline efforts against wildlife crime, including joint investigations and intelligence sharing with national law enforcement agencies such as the Royal Thai Police and Department of National Parks in Thailand, and counterparts in Nigeria and Vietnam.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$153K
Contributions & grants$153K100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$159K
Program expenses96%
Admin / overhead2%
Fundraising2%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$147K
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$191K
Cash$191K
Investments$0
Liabilities$1K
Net assets$190K
Liquid reserves14.5 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -12.9%
relationships · 31

Who they work with

  • Adessium Foundation Funder — Commissioned an external independent evaluation of the Wildlife Justice Commission's work.
  • Anna Gibson Partner — Contact person for foundations, trusts, and companies interested in partnering with the Wildlife Justice Commission.
  • Arcadia Funder — Supports the Wildlife Justice Commission’s efforts to protect biodiversity and combat wildlife crime.
  • Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Partner — Partnership formed to support wildlife crime prevention and enforcement efforts in Thailand.
  • Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia (PERHILITAN) Partner — Collaborates with PERHILITAN in conducting field investigations and gathering evidence on wildlife crime.
  • Environmental Police Department of Laos Partner — Works alongside Laotian environmental police in joint wildlife crime investigations.
  • Friends of WJC Network — Independent entity whose board members support the mission and vision of the Wildlife Justice Commission.
  • India Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) Partner — Works with WCCB in intelligence gathering and joint operations to combat wildlife trafficking.
  • Indonesian National Police (INP) Partner — Collaborates with INP in conducting investigations and gathering evidence on wildlife trafficking networks.
  • Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Partner — Works with MACC to address corruption linked to wildlife trafficking.
  • Mozambique National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC) Partner — Partners with SERNIC in conducting cross-border investigations into wildlife crime.
  • NESREA Partner — Signed a Memorandum of Understanding with NESREA to strengthen Nigeria’s fight against wildlife crime.
  • Nigeria Customs Service Partner — Collaborated on intelligence-led enforcement operations to disrupt pangolin and ivory trafficking networks in Nigeria.
  • Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Partner — Engages in joint operations with NCS, including arrests and seizures related to pangolin scales and ivory trafficking.
  • Oak Foundation Funder — Provides core support to the Wildlife Justice Commission in its fight against transnational organized wildlife crime.
  • Postcode Lottery Funder — Primary funder of Project Galvanise, supporting the enhancement of wildlife crime intelligence and enforcement in Southeast Asia.
  • Postcode Lottery Partner — Provides core and project-specific funding, including a multi-year unrestricted grant and support for the Galvanise Project (2021–2024).
  • Royal Thai Police Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division Partner — Collaborates on joint investigations and intelligence sharing to combat wildlife crime in Thailand.
  • Royal Thai Police Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division (RTP NED) Partner — Partners with RTP NED in gathering evidence and conducting operations against wildlife trafficking.
  • South African Police Service (SAPS) Partner — Collaborates with SAPS in investigations and enforcement efforts against wildlife trafficking.
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Partner — Partners with USFWS in intelligence-led operations and enforcement of wildlife crime laws.
  • US Fish and Wildlife Service Partner — Partnered with undercover operatives to collect evidence against a major wildlife trafficking logistics operator.
  • United Nations Government — Engaged in high-level discussions at the UN, including the 35th Session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.
  • United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Partner — Co-organized a satellite event during UN Ocean Decade Week to address crimes in the fisheries sector.
  • Vietnamese Department of Environmental Police Partner — Collaborates with Vietnamese environmental police in field investigations and enforcement actions.
  • Vietnamese authorities Government — Provided evidence leading to arrests and indictments; responded to a public hearing with enforcement action.
  • WWF Greater Mekong Partner — Collaborates with WWF Greater Mekong on wildlife crime investigations and capacity building in Vietnam and Thailand.
  • WWF Netherlands Funder — Commissioned external independent evaluation reports on the Wildlife Justice Commission's impact.
  • Wildlife Justice Commission Government — Friends of Wildlife Justice Commission Inc supports the Wildlife Justice Commission, an organization focused on combating transnational environmental crime.
  • Wildlife Justice Commission Network — Friends of Wildlife Justice Commission Inc supports the Wildlife Justice Commission as its U.S.-based fundraising affiliate.
+ 1 more
strategies · 5

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Evidence-Diplomacy Accountability Model
    methodology: evidence-diplomacy model
    By combining hard evidence from investigations with diplomatic engagement, the organization pressures or enables governments to take enforcement action against high-level traffickers, because presenting irrefutable evidence in a politically strategic way increases governmental accountability and response.
  • High-Level Network Disruption Strategy
    methodology: high-impact network disruption
    By targeting leadership and financial beneficiaries within transnational criminal networks, the organization creates systemic impact in wildlife trafficking markets, because dismantling command-and-control structures collapses operational capacity more effectively than low-level interdiction.
  • Intelligence-Led Enforcement Model
    methodology: intelligence-led enforcement
    By conducting intelligence-led investigations, the organization generates actionable evidence that enables law enforcement and policymakers to disrupt transnational wildlife crime networks, because credible, operationally relevant intelligence increases the likelihood of arrests, seizures, and systemic disruption.
  • Leveraging US Legal Jurisdiction
    methodology: legal leverage through US nexus and Lacey Act
    By identifying U.S. nexus in global wildlife trafficking networks, the organization enables enforcement actions under laws like the Lacey Act, because U.S. legal tools provide a strategic lever to disrupt otherwise extraterritorial criminal operations.
  • Transnational Collaboration Framework
    methodology: transnational collaboration
    By advocating for and operating through cross-border cooperation, the organization addresses the structural challenge of jurisdictional fragmentation, because transnational wildlife crime requires coordinated enforcement across borders to be effectively disrupted.