Business Owners Accused Of Selling Human Remains Online Claim They Didn't Know It Was Illegal

Two business owners who have come under fire for allegedly selling human body parts through the internet are now claiming they had no idea it was against the law.

This whole situation began in December 2023, when officers from the Orange City Police Department launched an investigation into a Florida curio shop named Wicked Wonderland.

According to a charging affidavit, law enforcement got a tip-off saying that someone at a local store was ‘attempting to sell human bones’. That prompted officers to dig deeper into what was really going on behind the scenes.

The tip that sparked the investigation included screenshots of a Facebook page, which clearly showed posts promoting human bones for sale. There were even price tags included in the ads.

Eventually, it was revealed that the shop's owners, Kymberlee Schopper and Ashley Lelesi, had been using Facebook Marketplace to sell human remains. Orange City Police Department Captain Sherif El-Shami commented on how bizarre the case was, saying it was something he hadn't encountered “in the 17 years that I've worked for this agency.”

So, while most people use the platform to get rid of used clothes or old gadgets, these shop owners were offering up body parts instead. Let that sink in for a second.

The business owners are accused of selling human body parts Getty Stock Photo

The affidavit goes into detail, claiming that Schopper had put a human rib and a vertebra up for sale, asking $35 for each piece. Meanwhile, the store had also listed two fragments of a human skull priced at $90.

In addition to that, a human clavicle and scapula were being sold together for the same $90 price. And perhaps the most expensive item listed was a partial human skull, which had a price tag of $600.

Once authorities found out what was going on, they wasted no time in trying to get in touch with the owners to ask them some serious questions about their unusual product listings.

The store’s website includes a description that gives a glimpse into the kind of business they claimed to be. It says: "Meet the wicked women behind Wonderland. A mother and daughter team who revel in the madness of the strange and unusual; the dark and macabre."

"Having both come from a medical background we have a passion for sharing our knowledge and expertise in the preservation and exploration of anatomy and pathology of all organic beings."

When questioned by police, Lelesi told them that the shop had been involved in selling human bones for several years. She also said they didn’t realize it was against the law in the state of Florida.

Kymberlee Schopper is the co-owner of Wicked Wonderland Volusia County Jail

Court records confirm that both Schopper and Lelesi have been arrested and officially charged with purchasing or selling human organs and tissue, which is a serious offense.

Schopper was arrested on Thursday, April 10, and was later released on Friday, April 11, after posting a $7,500 bail. Lelesi also faces the same charges, although at the moment, it's not clear if she’s currently in police custody or not.

The Wicked Wonderland store has now shut down. In a Facebook update, the business shared the following message with its followers: "Wicked Wonderland is currently temporarily closed due to dedicating our time to the care of a beloved family member in their final moments."

"Absolutely nothing more. While there may be a whirlwind of misguiding information and horrendous assumptions and opinions, we're choosing to focus on what we always have: Life, love, death and Family."