SeaWorld Suspends Employee Accused of Infiltrating PETA

SeaWorld has suspended a San Diego employee who was accused of infiltrating the ranks of PETA and posing as an animal-rights activist, with the intention of inciting violence at protests.

The man, identified by PETA as Paul McComb, appears to have used the name “Thomas Jones” while engaging with PETA, an act that went on for years. Details about his alleged misdeeds emerged earlier this week.

SeaWorld CEO Joel Manby, who did not identify McComb by name, said in a statement, “These allegations, if true, are not consistent with the values of the SeaWorld organization and will not be tolerated,” the Associated Press reports. SeaWorld said the employee had been put on paid administrative leave while the company investigates the accusations.

PETA said in a statement to TIME, “SeaWorld is scrambling to distance itself from something that it cannot talk its way out of.” The AP was not immediately able to reach McComb for comment.

[AP]