After its Peruvian discovery in 2002, Phragmipedium kovachii became the rarest and most sought-after orchid in the world. Then one showed up at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, USA. The collision between Selby's scientists and the smugglers of Phrag. Kovachii led to search warrants, a grand jury investigation, and criminal charges. Investigative journalist Craig Pittman unravels this tangled web to shine a spotlight on flaws in the international treaties governing trade in endangered wildlife.

Craig Pittman is an award-winning journalist who writes about environmental issues for Florida's largest newspaper, the Tampa Bay Times. He is the coauthor of Paving Paradise and author of Manatee Insanity.