Robin Pearl, the co-founder and chief executive officer of U.S.-based shrimp-farming company American Mariculture, was arrested on November 14th in connection with several alleged financial crimes, according to law enforcement.
Booking information released by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office in Florida shows that Pearl was charged with fraud to obtain property valued at more than $50,000, money laundering involving sums greater than $100,000, and grand theft exceeding $100,000. The combined bail amount for the three charges was set at $45,000, which Pearl subsequently posted.
Court records indicate that Pearl is scheduled to appear for a hearing related to the case on December 15th.
Pearl founded American Mariculture in 2013 along with affiliated companies American Penaeid and Sun Shrimp Gourmet. His arrest comes shortly after he publicly appealed for financial assistance to help restore Sun Shrimp’s shrimp-farming operations in Florida, which he said had suffered extensive damage.
Pearl said the company had launched a fundraising campaign on GoFundMe with a goal of raising $250,000. According to Pearl, the funds were intended to repair and upgrade production facilities and enable the business to resume nationwide distribution of fresh, chemical-free shrimp.
Pearl also stated that the company had not received government assistance to support the rebuilding of its shrimp farms following the reported damage.
Earlier in 2025, American Mariculture, American Penaeid, and Sun Shrimp Gourmet sought bankruptcy protection, citing several financial challenges. In their filings, the companies pointed to reduced sales during the Covid-19 pandemic, physical damage caused by Hurricane Ian, and a downturn in the global shrimp market. The bankruptcy filings also referenced approximately $10 million in expenses connected to trademark infringement lawsuits involving American Penaeid.
That bankruptcy proceeding was ultimately dismissed in July 2025. U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Caryl Delano approved a motion to dismiss the case that had been filed by the court-appointed trustee overseeing the matter.
The trustee, Mary Ida Townson, cited several deficiencies in support of the dismissal request. These included the companies’ failure to obtain required insurance coverage, delays in submitting mandatory monthly operating reports, and failure to pay quarterly fees owed to the court. In a filing submitted in late June, Townson noted that monthly operating reports for May 2025 had not been submitted and were overdue.
In a separate response filed with the court, a landlord for the companies stated that, since entering bankruptcy proceedings, the businesses had made no meaningful progress toward proposing or confirming a formal plan of reorganization.
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