Antiquities trafficking
In Burkina Faso and Mali, pilot scheme builds defences against illegal trafficking of cultural antiquities
Icom and Aliph’s $250,000 project is providing training and security measures for 22 museums in countries ravaged by war
Appeals court upholds antiquities trafficking charges against former Louvre director Jean-Luc Martinez and curator Jean-François Charnier
The appellate court judges’ decision came as a surprise, as the general prosecutor had asked for the charges—which relate to the acquisition of Egyptian antiquities by the Louvre Abu Dhabi—to be dropped
Authorities in New York return 14 looted artefacts valued at $2.5m to Italy, including a black-figure hydria by the renowned Priam Painter
The repatriated artefacts were looted by an international network of “high-profile antiquities traffickers and smugglers, according to the Manhattan District Attorney’s office
Looted archaeological artefacts worth more than $20m returned to Italy
The 60 objects included some that had been on display at the Metropolitan Museum and several that had been bought by billionaire collector Michael Steinhardt
Looted antiquities returned to Turkey and Italy were seized from New York home of Met trustee Shelby White
An ongoing investigation into White's collection expects to see more objects repatriated in the future
Antiquities trafficking charges against former Louvre director Jean-Luc Martinez and curator Jean-François Charnier could be dropped
The ruling of the examining chamber, expected next year, could overturn the investigation against both curators in a case implicating the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the Metropolitan Museum
Stolen Afghan manuscripts have been coming up for sale at major auction houses, according to research group
The Himaya project based in Qatar has been working with Interpol to identify artefacts trafficked to London, Paris and Amsterdam
Wanted in the US, Lebanese antiquities collector maintains his innocence, says his ‘big mistake’ was trusting New York art crime official
Lotfi addresses allegations that led to a warrant being issued for his arrest in a statement and interview, giving new details on the extraordinary story of the Metropolitan Museum's gold sarcophagus
French art dealer Didier Wormser stands trial for trafficking looted Egyptian antiquities
Owner of L’Etoile d’Ishtar gallery said artefacts from Saqqara necropolis “should be restituted to Egypt” but insists he purchased them in good faith
US customs agents seize Ancient Egyptian lid for mummy liver
The artefact, seized in Memphis, Tennessee, was en route to a collector who is believed to have falsified statements regarding its value
Allegedly stolen ancient Cambodian sculptures airbrushed from photoshoot of ‘most beautiful home in America’
Cambodian government says stone artefacts kept at San Francisco home of billionaire Lindemann family match those looted from sacred site
Arrest warrant issued for dealer who sold ‘hundreds’ of looted Middle East antiquities—some of which ended up in the Met
Georges Lotfi has been accused of handling the types of materials he helped the police recover and repatriate for years
Antiquities trafficking case escalates as Louvre Abu Dhabi joins civil action and Swiss collector files criminal complaint
In wake of scandal involving former Louvre director, France's culture minister forms taskforce to assess acquisitions procedures at museums
Egyptian antiquities connected to international trafficking ring seized from Metropolitan Museum in New York
Five objects worth more than €3m have been confiscated by authorities as part of a wide-ranging global investigation involving former Louvre director Jean-Luc Martinez
Louvre launches civil action as part of art trafficking case involving former director Jean-Luc Martinez
A number of objects purchased by the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the Metropolitan Museum of Art are now under scrutiny—including an ancient Egyptian marble head worth €35m
Former Louvre director Jean-Luc Martinez charged in connection with antiquities trafficking investigation
Martinez has been indicted for “complicity of gang fraud and laundering“ of objects purchased by the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Louvre Abu Dhabi
Former Louvre director Jean-Luc Martinez questioned by police as part of probe into alleged antiquities trafficking ring
Investigation focuses on purchases made by the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Louvre Abu Dhabi
Two lots withdrawn from Christie’s antiquities sale after possible ties emerge to dealers known to traffic in illicit artefacts
The artefacts were flagged by Christos Tsiogiannis, who has, since 2006, been identifying looted antiquities through photographic archives of suspected and convicted dealers in plunder
Archaeologist calls for repatriation of Roman fresco in Getty collection that came from known antiquities traffickers
Research published by forensic archaeologist Christos Tsirogiannis suggests the brilliant fresco fragment may have been illegally excavated near Pompeii
Billionaire collector Michael Steinhardt surrenders 180 stolen artefacts worth $70m
The items have been under investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney since 2017
What distinguishes an art criminal from a regular crook?
The host of the Art Bust podcast argues that the nature and purpose of art crime–and by extension, of the art detectives who fight it—has changed in recent years
US returns over 500 smuggled pre-Hispanic-era artefacts to Mexican officials
Tools and other objects were discovered in a national park in southwest Texas, triggering an inquiry
Accord between US and Turkey to counter illicit trade in artefacts divides historians and preservationists
Critics say Turkish government polices give short shrift to religious minorities’ cultural heritage
Museum of the Bible in Washington returns around 5,000 disputed biblical objects to Egypt
Institution has been faulted for a lack of oversight in determining what artefacts were legally exported and sold
In the battle against antiquities trafficking, Germany develops app to identify looted cultural heritage
Government-funded image-recognition software will enable law enforcers to work with international organisations
After outcry from antiquities trade, Unesco further adjusts ad campaign on looted artefacts
Dealers association challenged the campaign’s claims that two newly pictured objects were stolen
Two Manhattan antiquities dealers arrested on charges of fraud
Authorities have accused Erdal Dere and Faisal Khan of running an alleged scheme to swindle buyers by using fake provenances
French dealer sues over Egyptian stele seized on way to Tefaf New York
Legal case brought against antiquities expert who also sold an allegedly looted golden sarcophagus to the Metropolitan Museum last year, while an arrest is made in Germany
'Adventurer scholar' Douglas Latchford dies in Bangkok, aged 89
Expert in Khmer and Indian antiquities was a dealer in Cambodian art in the 1970s and last year was accused of smuggling and creating false provenances for antiquities
International crackdown on art trafficking leads to 101 arrested and 19,000 artefacts recovered
Interpol says the operation spanned 103 countries and that objects ranged from coins to paintings to fossils