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Smuggler sentenced for selling stolen Egyptian antiquities
A 52-year-old man has been sentenced to six months in prison by the Brooklyn federal court in New York for smuggling Egyptian antiquities. Between 2011 and 2019, the Egyptian-born, naturalized American sold hundreds of ancient objects to auction houses, falsely claiming they came from his grandfather’s private collection, according to USA Today. In reality, these were relics looted from tombs in Egypt.
The father of three operated a sophisticated scheme. He coordinated directly with tomb raiders, who sent him videos of burial sites “as if they were grocery stores,” according to U.S. Deputy Attorney William Campos. He then selected the items and transported them in his luggage. He also falsified customs documentation, sometimes providing only photocopies to verify the artifacts’ origins.
This ruse successfully deceived major auction houses. In total, he sold around $600,000 worth of stolen artifacts, including items dating back to 1900 BCE and a sculpture of an Egyptian king taken from a temple. He was arrested at JFK Airport in February 2020, with 600 ancient objects packed in bubble wrap found in his three suitcases.
The man pleaded guilty to all four counts of smuggling and expressed remorse to his family. No fine was imposed due to his financial situation. The Egyptian government has seized his assets and frozen his bank accounts, though the stolen items have not yet been returned to Egypt.