The story is different in fact, even if Sam has been screwed definitely.
The plants were imported with a CITES export/import, including sanderianum. The sanderianum were indeed fresh wild plants (sent by Orchidwoods/ Au Yong Nang Yip of Kuching), shipped to Hawaii. The importer had to agree that ALL the plants from the shipment were from the wild, which canceled all the export/import CITES, that were deemed to be for art propagated plants. Then, the gigantifolium CITES has been canceled as well, making Sam motherplant and a few others illegal immediately. Sam bought from the importer with a copy of the CITES, but the importer had to give all of his customers address. Legally they were 'right', now it has been a mess because Sam propagated really that species...