Wed, September 7, 2022
Authorities in New York announced Wednesday the return of 16 antiquities to Egypt, including five works that were seized from the Metropolitan Museum of Art as part of a probe into international art trafficking.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said the 16 works were worth more than $16 million. He spoke a day after announcing a similar return of 58 artworks to Italy.
"Today’s repatriation shows the breadth and prevalence of antiquities trafficking networks," Bragg said in a statement.
Nine of the pieces had been in the possession of Michael Steinhardt, whom Bragg described as one of the world's largest collectors of ancient art.
In 2021, Steinhardt was forced by US authorities to return 180 stolen ancient artworks worth a total of $70 million.
Under that deal he avoided going to jail but was banned for life from acquiring antiquities in the legal market.
Five other pieces were seized in May and June from the Met, worth $3.1 million, as part of a probe carried out by US and French authorities and under which former Louvre director Jean-Luc Martinez was charged in France.
Those five pieces had been looted from archeological sites in Egypt, smuggled through Germany or the Netherlands to France, and sold by the Paris-based Pierre Berge & Associes to the Met, Bragg said.
"The information developed and shared by the Manhattan DA’s office with law-enforcement agencies around the world related to this investigation has led to the indictment or arrest of nine individuals in France, including the former Louvre Director Jean-Luc Martinez," Bragg said.
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Over $4M worth of stolen antiquities returned to Egypt from New York
Jonathan Rizk - WPIX New York City, NY
MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) — Manhattan DA Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. announced the return of more than a dozen antiquities worth more than $4 million back to Egypt Wednesday.
The Manhattan DA’s office said it has been performing a multi-year, international criminal investigation into one of the world’s largest ancient art collectors and billionaire hedge fund manager, Micahel Steinhardt. In total, 180 stolen antiquities were taken from Steinhardt with a value of over $70 million. The investigation resulted in a lifetime ban on having antiquities, a first-of-its-kind ban.
"Our cooperation with the New York District Attorney’s Office has been eventful and fruitful, to say the least, during the last few years,” said Mohamed. “It is safe to say that we can open an entire museum solely based on the artifacts repatriated via the support and efforts of the District Attorney of New York, and for that, we are eternally grateful."
The Fayum Mummy Portrait, dates from 54 to 68 C.E., was stolen from Egypt in the 1990s. The piece ended up in the hands of the Simonians, who smuggled it into France for auction at the Paris-based Pierre Bergé & Associés and provided it with a false provenance. In 2013, Pierre Bergé & Associés sold the Fayum Mummy Portrait to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Jonathan Rizk - WPIX New York City, NY
MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) — Manhattan DA Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. announced the return of more than a dozen antiquities worth more than $4 million back to Egypt Wednesday.
In total, 16 antiquities were returned to Egypt during a repatriation ceremony attended by Egypt's Consul General Howaida Essam Mohamed and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel.
"Today's repatriation shows the breadth and prevalence of antiquities trafficking networks, but thanks to the work of our dedicated prosecutors and analysts, we have made tremendous progress in cracking down on this illegal activity," said District Attorney Bragg. "We will not allow our borough to be used by dealers and traffickers to turn a profit off these stolen artifacts."
The limestone Stele of a Singer was looted from the archaeological site of Kom Abu Billo in the southwestern Nile Delta and dates from 690-650 B.C. Following the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, Kom Abu Billo was subjected to widespread looting. The piece was smuggled into France for auction at the Paris-based Pierre Bergé & Associés, where it was given a false provenance. In 2015, Pierre Bergé & Associés sold the Fayum Mummy Portrait to the Met.
"Today's repatriation shows the breadth and prevalence of antiquities trafficking networks, but thanks to the work of our dedicated prosecutors and analysts, we have made tremendous progress in cracking down on this illegal activity," said District Attorney Bragg. "We will not allow our borough to be used by dealers and traffickers to turn a profit off these stolen artifacts."
The limestone Stele of a Singer was looted from the archaeological site of Kom Abu Billo in the southwestern Nile Delta and dates from 690-650 B.C. Following the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, Kom Abu Billo was subjected to widespread looting. The piece was smuggled into France for auction at the Paris-based Pierre Bergé & Associés, where it was given a false provenance. In 2015, Pierre Bergé & Associés sold the Fayum Mummy Portrait to the Met.
(Courtesy: Manhattan District Attorney)© Provided by WPIX New York City, NY
The Manhattan DA’s office said it has been performing a multi-year, international criminal investigation into one of the world’s largest ancient art collectors and billionaire hedge fund manager, Micahel Steinhardt. In total, 180 stolen antiquities were taken from Steinhardt with a value of over $70 million. The investigation resulted in a lifetime ban on having antiquities, a first-of-its-kind ban.
"Our cooperation with the New York District Attorney’s Office has been eventful and fruitful, to say the least, during the last few years,” said Mohamed. “It is safe to say that we can open an entire museum solely based on the artifacts repatriated via the support and efforts of the District Attorney of New York, and for that, we are eternally grateful."
The Fayum Mummy Portrait, dates from 54 to 68 C.E., was stolen from Egypt in the 1990s. The piece ended up in the hands of the Simonians, who smuggled it into France for auction at the Paris-based Pierre Bergé & Associés and provided it with a false provenance. In 2013, Pierre Bergé & Associés sold the Fayum Mummy Portrait to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
(Courtesy: Manhattan District Attorney)© Provided by WPIX New York City, NY
Nine pieces seized from Steinhardt were sent back to the people of Egypt. They were trafficked by Israeli antiquities dealers Rafi Brown and Gil Chaya. Brown would purchase antiquities from unlicensed diggers, middlemen and smugglers, according to the DA. Chaya and his then-wife would buy illegal antiquities directly from looters.
Five of these pieces were described as an Egyptian Hoard made up of gold and silver ornaments and plaques dating to 1300-1101 B.C.E. The Egyptian Hoard first showed up on the international art market in 1999, when Steinhardt paid $70,000 for them from Brown with no prior documentation.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art had a total of six items taken. Five items taken from the Met, valued at $3.1 million, came from an investigation into the Dib-Simonian trafficking network. The pieces were looted from archaeological sites in Egypt, smuggled through Germany or the Netherlands to France, and sold by the Paris-based Pierre Bergé & Associés to the Met.
According to the DA’s office, this investigation resulted in the indictment or arrest of nine people in France, including former Louvre Director Jean-Luc Martinez. Two of these pieces were the Stele of a Singer, which was sold to the Met in 2015, and Fayum Mummy Portrait, which the Met purchased in 2013.
Another piece was seized from the Met as part of an investigation into trafficker Georges Lotfi. He was the subject of an international arrest warrant issued by this DA’s office in early September.
A bronze statuette called Kneeling Ruler or Priest is said to be from the 8th century B.C.E. Lofti bought the statuette in 2005 and sold it in 2006 to the Met.
The final piece was seized as part of another ongoing investigation.
Nine pieces seized from Steinhardt were sent back to the people of Egypt. They were trafficked by Israeli antiquities dealers Rafi Brown and Gil Chaya. Brown would purchase antiquities from unlicensed diggers, middlemen and smugglers, according to the DA. Chaya and his then-wife would buy illegal antiquities directly from looters.
Five of these pieces were described as an Egyptian Hoard made up of gold and silver ornaments and plaques dating to 1300-1101 B.C.E. The Egyptian Hoard first showed up on the international art market in 1999, when Steinhardt paid $70,000 for them from Brown with no prior documentation.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art had a total of six items taken. Five items taken from the Met, valued at $3.1 million, came from an investigation into the Dib-Simonian trafficking network. The pieces were looted from archaeological sites in Egypt, smuggled through Germany or the Netherlands to France, and sold by the Paris-based Pierre Bergé & Associés to the Met.
According to the DA’s office, this investigation resulted in the indictment or arrest of nine people in France, including former Louvre Director Jean-Luc Martinez. Two of these pieces were the Stele of a Singer, which was sold to the Met in 2015, and Fayum Mummy Portrait, which the Met purchased in 2013.
Another piece was seized from the Met as part of an investigation into trafficker Georges Lotfi. He was the subject of an international arrest warrant issued by this DA’s office in early September.
A bronze statuette called Kneeling Ruler or Priest is said to be from the 8th century B.C.E. Lofti bought the statuette in 2005 and sold it in 2006 to the Met.
The final piece was seized as part of another ongoing investigation.
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