Was purchasing rare Chetahs in South America

This morning I received the following message from several sources and immediately contacted Sir Nicholas Rose to see if this was an Internet scam:

Dear Sir,

Dr Pablo Caligiuri-Urban the Veterinarian and Zoologist from South Africa and owner/curator of the Animal and Reptile Park Zoo in South Africa has gone missing whilst on a visit to Brazil and neighboring countries and has lost contact with his wife and friends who are frantic with worry.

He was in South America locating animals for his Zoo and was spoken to last around the 10th January when he told his wife that he had purchased some Cheetahs and was staying at a Zoo with them in or near Sao Paulo Brazil whilst awaiting documentation from the Ministry to bring them back to South Africa.

We would be most appreciative if you can post this notice to the group and that anyone who might have some information about him or have seen him in the last few weeks could post their information to help with finding him.

Our biggest fear is that he has had a heart attack or stroke and needs desperate assistance.

Thanking You

Sincerely

Sir Nicholas Rose

Consul General for Albania to South Africa

nrose@tiscali.co.za

This is the additional information Sir Nicholas Rose provided to me:

Perhaps a key or clue to this matter are apparently 11 King Cheetahs that were with Pablo at a Zoo in or near Sao Paulo where he was staying. He had collected them from various sources and neighboring countries and brought them together ready for shipping home, pending receiving the correct documentation. He told Stella his wife that he had already bought the shipping crates for them.

They are so distinctive and unusual in their markings that somebody must know about them.

If we can find out at what Zoo they are being kept, it will perhaps lead us to Pablo.

After obtaining this additional information from Sir Nicholas Rose, I contacted a number of zoo directors in South Africa, the South African Embassies in both the United States and South America. Being a former Marine, I also contacted a Marine stationed in Brazil. I discovered there are RUMORS that Dr. Caligiuri-Urban had pending legal problems in South Africa and may have fled to South America.

Whatever Dr. Caliguiri-Urban's current situation is, his family and zoo employees deserve to know if he is injured, dead or just ran away from his problems to start life over again.

FROM Sir Nicholas Rose

The South African Consulate in Sao Paulo has been notified as well as the SA Embassy in Brazilia (please refer to Annabel Haslop, Minister-Councellor at this embassy. I can forward her contact details and email if you require it) and an investigation by them is already underway. Unfortunately no results yet. An official missing person report was filed today with the SA Police and the case will be escalated to Interpol tomorrow. A case number will be issued tomorrow.

We would be most grateful if you could use your database to try to trace him. 

Other input received:

Dear Mr. Socha,

As far as we are aware this circumstance is true and Mr. Urban has apparently disappeared.
 
Hi Rudy
It seems the rumor has substance to it – he has gone missing. Be advised that he is a rather controversial character. He is not a member of PAAZAB.

Regards
I intentionally removed the names of my contacts at their request.

Dear Rudy,

I have spoken to the investigating officer in the South African Police here who has said that Pablo has been having an ongoing legal battle with his landlord but that to this Inspectors knowledge there is nothing that would force Pablo to have to start a new life in South America. Stella has told me that this landlord has laid some sort of assault charge against Pablo but again she certainly does not consider this severe enough to chase Pablo away. In fact Pablo had been offered new premises for his Zoo free of charge in a new development scheme and was extremely excited about the pending move and the opportunities it presented.

I feel me must assume foul play or misfortune in this case and pull out all the stops to try to find him as he might be in desperate need of assistance. I do find it strange however that the Zoo he was staying at and keeping the animals at in or near Sao Paulo has not reported anything.

Perhaps you can find out something?

Sincerely

Nicholas

UPDATE:
ADDITIONAL INFO FROM SAO PAULO
Hi Rudy!
I am in the Sao Paulo metropolitan area and I think there are a few strange things on this. First of all the Sao Paulo Zoo does not have Cheetahs for years now, so I wonder where did he get those. Anout Carnaval in Rio it happened last weekend untill wednesday and is supposed to go on this weekend too.

Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance.
Um abraço

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I agree that the money will tell a story and the investigating officer will get a court order on monday to access his account both here and in South America.

He unfortunately took his laptop with him so that route is closed to us. He also sent his sim card back to Stella and was using a local one, so no joy there either.

_____________________________________________________________

Dear Mr. Socha

Your e-mail to our mission in Sao Paulo has reference.

I can confirm that we are indeed trying to locate Dr Pablo Caligiuri-Urban. Should you have any information on his possible whereabouts it would be appreciated if you could please inform us urgently.