Convicted Dealer Ali Aboutaam's Antiquities Still in US Museums

Ali Aboutaam, the founder of Phoenix Ancient Art, was convicted in Switzerland in 2023 for violating cultural property laws after a years-long investigation revealed a sophisticated scheme to launder looted antiquities. Despite his conviction and death in May 2026, at least a dozen American museums continue to hold artifacts sold by Aboutaam, many with fabricated provenances. The Metropolitan Museum of Art repatriated a Roman bust to Turkey in February 2026, but other institutions—including the Cleveland Museum of Art, Saint Louis Art Museum, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Museum of Fine Arts Houston, and Harvard Art Museums—have not returned objects linked to the dealer. Aboutaam used shell companies, paid dealers to create false ownership histories, and claimed items were inherited from his father to evade detection. Swiss authorities seized hundreds of looted artifacts, and Aboutaam surrendered around 60 pieces for repatriation. The Manhattan District Attorney's Office has taken nine Phoenix artifacts from the Met since 2021, worth nearly $5 million. Museums continue to research provenances, but critics argue that the pattern of deception should prompt broader returns.