“Shocking Loss: How a New Jersey Fossil Treasure Was Unthinkably Trashed by UPS—All Due to a University’s Oversight!”
William Paterson UniversityMartin Becker (left) with colleague Michael Griffiths.
At the end of the month, Becker still had not received updates on the shipment and was told once again by Boone that he was “working on the issue.” Come September 20, Boone told Becker that the packages may have wound up with UPS’ fraud department. So, 10 days later, Becker followed up with UPS directly.
On September 30, Becker learned that the packages had indeed been intercepted and confiscated by UPS’ fraud department — because the university had failed to pay multiple invoices to keep their UPS account in good standing. Apparently, Becker discovered, the university’s account had been canceled back in April 2024, yet they had failed to do anything about it.
No exact details were provided, but the lawsuit says the packages were dumped at an “unidentified landfill somewhere in or around Nashville, Tennessee.” The suit further states that Boone was aware of the canceled UPS account since at least July 8 because of notices from UPS and other confiscated packages.
Martin Becker Is Now Seeking Compensation From William Paterson University
NJ Spotlight NewsBecker spent “hundreds upon hundreds of hours” collecting and studying the fossils he’s now lost, according to the suit.
The suit further claims that the university was aware that Boone was unfit for his role but operated negligently in letting him retain it. The university’s website currently lists both Becker and Boone as employees.
In filing the lawsuit, Becker is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, attorney’s fees, lawsuit costs, and medical expenses that arose due to emotional distress. The suit referred to the fossil collection as “invaluable and extraordinarily unique,” noting that Becker had spent “a significant portion of his career” studying and collecting them.
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