60 looted archaeological artifacts repatriated to Italy from US
A total of sixty archaeological artifacts, valued at over €20 million, have been returned to Italy following a collaborative effort by the New York County District Attorney's Office and the Carabinieri for the Protection of Cultural Heritage. These items, which were unlawfully trafficked and looted from Italian sites, ended up in private collections in the U.S., including one prominent collector who is prohibited from acquiring antiquities. Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano made the announcement in Rome. Gen. B. Vincenzo Molinese, Commander of the Carabinieri TPC, emphasized the longstanding partnership between Italian and U.S. authorities. The artifacts had no prior market records, and their recovery was facilitated by TPC evidence. In 2022, 217 security checks, 381 searches, and 74,748 items were retrieved.
Key facts
- 60 archaeological artifacts returned to Italy from the US
- Joint operation by Carabinieri TPC and New York County DA's Office
- Artifacts valued at over €20 million
- Looted from Italian sites and sold illegally in US
- Lifetime ban on buying antiquities imposed on a major collector
- Repatriation announced by Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano
- 2022 data: 74,748 archaeological items recovered, 971 persons reported
- 1,227 fake works seized, worth over €85 million
Entities
Institutions
- Carabinieri per la Tutela del Patrimonio Culturale (TPC)
- New York County District Attorney's Office (DAO)
- Ministero della Cultura
- Ministero degli Affari Esteri
- Arma dei Carabinieri
- Carabinieri del Raggruppamento Aeromobili
- Nuclei Subacquei
- Comparto Forestale dell'Arma
- Carabinieri for the Protection of Cultural Heritage (TPC)
- New York Prosecutor's Office
- Homeland Security Investigations
- Italian Ministry of Culture (MiC)
- Menil Collection Museum
- District Attorney's Office of New York
Locations
- Italy
- United States
- Rome
- New York
- Houston