John,

Leopard is CITES 1. I don't know the story behind this one, but it sounds to me like he shot the Leopard in RSA without a permit and then tried to do some kind of dodgy deal where he shipped it from RSA to the US claiming it was shot elsewhere............ which could well be what got him caught as the RSA customs etc inspectors would have latched on fairly quickly because none of the paperwork would have matched up. - Then they probably let it travel and waited for him to try to pick it up at the other end, when they then nailed him for it.