Paleontology is facing an ethical crisis related to its long history of extractive practices, including a practice now referred to as ‘parachute science.’ In this paper, I provide diagnostic criteria for identifying parachute science and illustrate them using the high-profile example of a Brazilian dinosaur fossil, Irritator challengeri, acquired by a German museum under dubious conditions. I use this case study to identify three types of harm resulting from parachute science, showing how they can be understood as a case of distributive epistemic injustice. I conclude by using this framework to point toward more ethical paleontological practices.