HBO's new five-episode docuseries, "Monsters of God," which premiered on August 6, 2026, delves into the lucrative and often violent world of exotic reptile smuggling. The series, from director Eric Goode, who was also involved in "Tiger King," is partly based on Bryan Christy's 2008 book "The Lizard King." It explores the history of the reptile trade from the 1973 Endangered Species Act to the present day.
The series features prominent figures in the illegal trade, including reptile dealers Tommy Crutchfield, Hank Molt, and the notorious Malaysian trafficker Anson Wong, often dubbed the "godfather of reptile trading." It also highlights federal agents from organizations like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the DEA, who are tasked with tracking and prosecuting these illegal operations. The first episode, "The Fever," introduces the rivalry between Molt and Crutchfield, escalating into an iguana trafficking case.
A significant focus of the series is the moral ambiguity and cruel realities of the trade. One particularly disturbing incident involves Hank Molt and his partner Eddie Allen burying hundreds of rare reptiles alive in the New Jersey Pine Barrens to hide them from federal authorities. The series also exposes how major zoos, including prestigious institutions in Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and Rochester, New York, received these contraband animals, with suggestions that influential people may have swayed law enforcement during early investigations.
The docuseries portrays the extreme obsession driving collectors and traffickers, often pushing the boundaries of laws and ethics for rare species, contributing to a billion-dollar criminal enterprise. It also touches upon how some reptile smugglers later diversified into selling guns and drugs, sometimes alongside former CIA-trained veterans. The series warns of the devastating environmental impact and the risk of pushing some species to extinction due to this insatiable desire for forbidden animals.
"Monsters of God" builds upon the themes of human-animal interaction and exploitation seen in other documentaries, exploring the motivations behind owning exotic animals, from childhood fascination to the pursuit of rarity and profit. It details the complex international crime rings involved and the decades-long cat-and-mouse game between criminals and law enforcement.
