That warrant paints a picture, not of an unwitting buyer misled by the market attempting to perform due diligence on the object he purchased, but of an individual who, according to prosecutors, understood exactly what he was acquiring when he purchased the statue on 26 May 2007 from Royal-Athena Galleries for USD 1,330,000.  Even the object's invoice clearly states the object as “said to be from Bubon, Turkey. Late 2nd - early 3rd Century AD” leaving little ambiguity about the statue's claimed origin.

The warrant states plainly that Mendelsohn bought this “Nude Emperor” statue knowing it had been looted from Bubon, Türkiye in the 1960s, a site famously and illegally plundered, with several of its bronze figures dispersed through the international market for decades.  Prosecutors further allege that Mendelsohn exchanged correspondence with art historians, curators, and conservators in which the statue’s origins were plainly discussed. The DA’s conclusions rested not only on their own investigative research but also on email communications that investigators say illustrate, with unusual clarity, the collector’s awareness of the statue’s problematic origins both at the time of purchase and afterward.

While Mendelsohn had once been tentatively been labeled as an “innocent purchaser” early in the New York investigation inquiry, this assessment changed as investigators uncovered additional evidence, including email correspondence that demonstrated the collector's awareness of the bronze's find spot. By the time the warrant was issued, prosecutors stated they were “increasingly convinced he had not acted in good faith.”

Although Mendelsohn’s lawyer, Marcus A. Asner, claimed the emails described in the New York arrest warrant document were taken “out of context” and insisted his client neither knew nor believed the bronze came from Bubon, the documentation prepared by the District Attorney’s Office firmly contradicts that claim.  In addition to an invoice which cited the statue's find location as "possibly Bubon", investigators highlighted three instances in which the California philanthropist explicitly acknowledged that the torso had been excavated at Bubon in the 1960s, a date that clearly places the object's illicit export in violation of the Republic of Türkiye's cultural property laws.

To J. Michael Padgett, Mendelsohn wrote:

“It is a 2d century torso about 72 inches high that was exxavated at Boubon, Turkey in the 1960's.” 

It is worth mentioning that a year earlier, in 2006, Italian prosecutor Paolo Giorgio Ferri brought charges against the dealer, Princeton University Art Museum’s then-curator Michael Padgett and Mauro Morani a tomb raider and caposquadra who provided plundered material to Edoardo Almagià, an alleged trafficker who as of 1 November 2024 has an outstanding warrant requested by the same New York prosecutor's office. 

To Professor John Pollini, USC specialist on Roman bronzes, Mendelsohn wrote:

“I may be acquiring a monumental bronze torso exxavated from a sebasteon in Boubon, Turkey, in the 1960's.” 

And to Los Angeles conservator Jerry Podany, Mendelsohn he even named some of the hands the statue had passed through in its early circulation:

“The piece was acquired by the Lipson family in 1967 from George Vaccos [sic] in Basel and was part of the excavation in the 1960's from Bubon, Turkey. ” 

Despite the strength of the aforementioned allegations and the clarity of the prosecutors’ position, the case concluded this week not with a criminal trial, but with a negotiated settlement.  Under agreed terms, in late September 2025 Mendelsohn agreed to surrender the bronze statue, relinquish all ownership claims to said artefact, and pay for its shipment to Manhattan. In return, prosecutors agreed to withdraw the arrest warrant and suspend criminal prosecution for one year, provided Mendelsohn violates none of the agreement’s terms. This settlement also did not require the California collector to admit the statue was looted, nor did it require any admission of wrongdoing.

That outcome secured the return of this extraordinary Roman imperial masterpiece, which was one of several dozen artefacts handed over to representatives from  Turkey on this past Monday at a ceremony in Manhattan.  But despite the significance of this restitution victory, the case also highlights a recurring tension in cultural heritage enforcement: prosecutors must balance the urgent need to secure the recovery of looted antiquities with the reality of heavy caseloads, limited resources and the evidentiary complexities of cross-border art crime.

Prosecutors must also weigh the public value of restitution against the practical challenges of pursuing a full criminal trial, challenges that often include jurisdictional disputes, decades-old evidence, and highly lawyered defendants. In some cases, as here, achieving restitution quickly may require accepting settlements rather than adjudicating culpability.

But in this instance, it is important to acknowledge all of the chain of evidence, not just the end agreement.  The arrest document sets out detailed allegations of knowing possession, deliberate concealment and even the strategic suggestion of a possible donation of the antiquity despite its clearly problematic origin. Those committed to cultural property protection should not lose sight of this. 

When settlements are reached between prosecutors and defense counsel, the public news announcements that follow often focus only on the terms of the final agreement, not on the evidentiary record that compelled it.  This is why it is essential to read publicly filed evidentiary documents and warrants in full rather than solely relying solely on news coverage, which tends to diplomatically report the end result,  but not always the underlying facts. 

Restitution in this case has been achieved, and all parties involved in the equation got something they wanted.  But the allegations remain a stark reminder of how looted antiquities can circulate through elite hands, sometimes shielded by the very legal mechanisms that facilitate their return, and of the difficult, often imperfect decisions prosecutors must make to ensure that stolen objects ultimately go home.

By Edgar Tijhuis*

As part of ARCA’s ongoing effort to give prospective participants a deeper look behind the scenes of our Postgraduate Certificate Programmes in Art Crime and Cultural Heritage Protection, Edgar Tijhuis speaks with our faculty members about their work, their motivations, and the unique learning environment we create each summer in Italy.

This series aims to offer future participants a personal glimpse into the people who teach with ARCA, the community around it, and what to expect in the coming year.

My love for archaeology and the history of ancient art began a very long time ago. And I think it was a sign of destiny. You have to consider that I was born in Fano, the city where the bronze statue of the victorious athlete — looted and now at the Getty Museum — was found by our local fishermen. As a child I played with Roman amphorae found in the sea, some of which decorated the gardens belonging to friends of my father. When my family moved to Rome, I joined the youth group of the Gruppo Archeologico Romano, and one of our missions was the excavation and recovery of the necropolis of Cerveteri.

In Cerveteri I had my first encounter with the terrible phenomenon of clandestine excavations, and I decided that my future would be to fight to defend Italy’s cultural heritage. I remember that we would go into the tombs and steal the tomb robbers’ excavation tools! I continued like this throughout my life, defending my country, and I have had the honour of collaborating with the Ministry of Culture on many occasions.

Many years ago I met Noah Charney, who suggested that I join ARCA and organise specific visits to Cerveteri to teach about the trafficking of archaeological artefacts from the Banditaccia World Heritage Site. From that moment on, I combined my passion with that of ARCA's and now, together with Lynda Albertson (ARCA’s CEO), I also lead a course on open source intelligence, as well as serving as the docent to Cerveteri during ARCA's art law course. It is an extraordinary experience, because we can exchange knowledge at an international level with leading experts in this field.

Through these I am very happy to have enabled participants in the ARCA course to see firsthand how an Italian archaeological excavation takes place (and some students later returned volunteering to excavate themselves). I think this is a great experience to share, to understand even more clearly the collective importance of defending our cultural heritage.

From your perspective, what makes ARCA’s Postgraduate Certificate Programme truly unique and valuable?

How does the location in Italy — surrounded by centuries of cultural heritage — enhance the learning experience for participants?

The incredible history of Italy offers a one-of-a-kind life experience. Students who come from countries with different cultures will find in Amelia (and in all the nearby regions) exceptionally open with important testimonies of our past: Roman and medieval towns, castles, churches, museums, beautiful natural places, and much more.

I consider the visit—together with my lecture—in Cerveteri very important, because it is an extraordinary symbolic place for understanding the very serious problem of archaeological plunder and what fuels clandestine excavations. But it is also a place of rebirth and recovery: in fact, I take students to see the excavations carried out by our group and some works of ancient art that Italy has finally recovered from American museums. First among them is the fantastic Euphronios Vase, which is now the star of the museum in Cerveteri.

Moreover, we at ARCA are the only ones who can enable, in collaboration with the GATC, our students to take part in one or more days on an archaeological excavation such as that of the Roman town of Castrum Novum (a fascinating experience, which offers a great opportunity for cultural exchange among people of various nationalities).

What key skills, perspectives, or tools do you hope participants will gain from your course? In what ways can they apply these insights in their professional or academic paths?

First and foremost, I would like my course to convey my passion and love for the cultural heritage of our past and to teach how everyone can contribute to its defense, which is so important worldwide. Our course provides an excellent foundation for exploring the often problematic world of ancient and modern art and the relevant legal frameworks. 

One of the most interesting components is helping our students develop open-source intelligence (OSINT) skills, essential for anyone seeking to study or investigate art crime because so much evidence of illicit activity now exists in publicly accessible digital spaces. Trafficked artworks often surface in online auctions, social media posts, dealer catalogues, museum databases, and archival sources scattered across jurisdictions but learning how to tie them together is a skill.  

By honing these methods researchers can begin to trace the movement of cultural objects, identify networks of traffickers, verify provenance claims, and detect inconsistencies that may signal criminal activity, all of which can certainly help to find work and experience in the museum sector and in public, private, or foundation collections, or in the field of antiques and auctions. 

If someone is considering applying to ARCA’s 2026 programmes, what advice would you give them? And why do you think now is a meaningful moment to engage with this field?

Put all your passion into it and never stop in your search for knowledge: study books, but above all observe and experience every aspect of cultural heritage, and engage with the art trade through visits to archaeological and historical sites, exhibitions, and auctions. 

We are certainly living through a very important period for the recovery and return of looted works of art. In many countries, an awareness is developing of the need to safeguard their own history. Cultural heritage, moreover, is always in danger because of wars and sensational thefts. These are battles that ARCA specialists fight every day at an international level. Our students will thus be able to gain experience and develop their own areas of expertise in their own part of the world or in their own discipline.  Lastly, having met so many wonderful people, I never would have met had they not connected with ARCA, I can say that their life will be changed and they will experience fantastic cultural adventures which will enrich their life and their soul.

About Stefano Alessandrini

Dr Stefano Alessandrini is an Italian cultural heritage protection specialist with 30 years of object-based archival and forensic provenance research experience. He is a Subject Matter Expert for the Italian Ministry of Culture and an expert in archaeology and ancient art for the Court of Rome, supporting the court's legal trafficking dossiers and restitution cases.

Since 2010, he has lectured and conducted forensic research related to art and antiquities crime within ARCA, focusing on transnational crime mapping and cross-border intelligence. He holds advanced qualifications in cultural heritage protection (Roma Tre / MiBACT / Carabinieri TPC) and a degree in Art Heritage History and Conservation, graduating cum laude. His work bridges Italian cultural property law, cultural diplomacy, and practical restitution and repatriation efforts, and he has published on art crime and recovery strategies

* Dr Edgar Tijhuis is Academic Director at ARCA and is responsible for coordinating ARCA’s postgraduate certificate programmes. Since 2009, he has also taught criminology theory modules within ARCA's PG Certification programming. 

Although Europol did not name the principal High-Value Target (HVT) in this multi-country police action, the agency noted that the investigation was triggered by a 2020 house search in Bulgaria in which authorities seized approximately 7,000 cultural artefacts of exceptional historical and monetary value.  According to the Europol statement, the material consisted largely of Greco-Roman and Thracian antiquities of remarkable quality and significance.  Bulgarian Prosecutor Angel Kanev, under national police protections for threats made to his life in this investigation, pointed out that the investigation centred on a case the country had been following for four years and involved coordination with law enforcement actions in Germany, Japan, Italy, the US, and the UK. 

The only publicly documented seizure of that scale, in Bulgaria, during 2020, was the government’s raid on the holdings of Bulgarian gaming tycoon Vasil Bozhkov, AKA Vassil Bojkov, whose business entities were searched on 20 January 2020 by the Specialised Prosecutor’s Office. Widely described as the country’s richest man, Bozhkov has long been referred to as the country's most notorious gangster, with allegations of money laundering, extortion, racketeering, tax fraud, and illegal antiquities dealing documented as early as a 2009 U.S. Embassy leaked diplomatic cable made public through WikiLeaks.

At the time of the 2020 search and subsequent seizure, Bozhkov faced seven criminal charges, including leading an organised crime group, coercion, extortion, attempted bribery of an official and incitement to malfeasance in office.  During the raid, prosecutors and police entered his offices at Nove Holding on Moskovska Street in Sofia and impounded 6,778 of the mogul's antiquities dating from as early as 4,000 BCE through the 6th century CE.  Shortly after these raids Bozhkov was handed additional charges, including influence trading and holding and expropriating valuable cultural artefacts.

Later, in June 2021, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Bozhkov, under E.O. 13818 for materially supporting corruption, misappropriation of state assets, and related criminal activity.  In February 2023, the United Kingdom followed suit and imposed sanctions under its Global Anti-Corruption sanctions regime.  After spending years in Dubai as a fugitive and avoiding extradition on a European arrest warrant, Bozhkov returned to Sofia voluntarily in August 2023 and remains at liberty with some restrictions while his numerous trials proceed through the Bulgarian courts.

The November Europol operation, coordinated this month, expands upon Bozhkov's earlier antiquities-related investigations and extends into multiple jurisdictions.

All of the aforementioned details provide a solid match to an affiliated professor of Classical Archaeology at Charles University in Prague named Athanasios Sideris.  According to this scholar's LinkedIn profile, he was the director of excavations in Halka Bunar, Bulgaria between 2009 and 2014 and from January 2017 until August 2022 was the Head Curator of the Thrace Foundation, in Sofia where he was responsible for curating and organising exhibitions and publications for Bozhkov's mostly unprovenanced antiquities collection. 

Sideris is also the author of several books featuring material from Bozhkov problematic ancient art collection.  One of these, Theseus in Thrace: the silver lining on the clouds of the Athenian-Thracian relations in the 5th century BC published by Bozhkov's Thrace Foundation in 2015, includes unprovenanced material from the Bozhkov Collection, as well as other unnamed private collections in Bulgaria, some of which have never been published previously.  At least two of the objects depicted in this catalogue have previously been in circulation with the Swiss gallery, Phoenix Ancient Art.  They are:

     • a Phiale depicting Thetis and Nereids bringing Achilles, 430-420 BCE

     • a Kylix belonging to the “Rhenia” type depicting a  Greco-Thracian rider. 430-420 BCE

How the current investigations will advance the cases against Bozhkov or those related to his enterprises remains to be seen, but it marks a significant escalation in ongoing efforts to dismantle transnational networks responsible for the looting, laundering, and illicit circulation of plundered cultural property in Europe. It also underscores how deeply embedded some actors have been within both academic and commercial sectors, blurring the boundaries between scholarship, private collecting, and illicit trade.

Vasil Bozhkov's antiquities collection ordered to be seized by Bulgarian authorities.

The less than clear origins of fugitive Vasil Bozhkov's Thrace and Private Collections.

Charge of unlawful possession of items of cultural value has been added to existing charges against Vasil Bozhkov.

Welcome to ARCA’s PG Cert Alumni Spotlight Series, a collection of in-depth Q&A interviews conducted by Dr. Edgar Tijhuis*, highlighting the professional journeys, achievements, and ongoing contributions of graduates from ARCA’s Postgraduate Certificate Programmes in Art Crime and Cultural Heritage Protection. Through these conversations, we aim to showcase the diverse paths our alumni have taken—across academia, law enforcement, museums, research, policy, and the cultural heritage sector—and to share the insights, motivations, and experiences that continue to shape their work in safeguarding the world’s shared artistic legacy.

What motivated you to enroll in ARCA’s Postgraduate Program?                                                         I first discovered ARCA through a Google search and immediately knew I had to apply. I was at a point in my education and career where I wanted to continue expanding my knowledge of the arts. When I learned that there was a field dedicated to art crime and cultural heritage protection, I began researching how to enter it. From what I found, ARCA was one of the only, if not the only, program specializing in this field of study, so applying was an easy decision.

Can you describe a moment in the program that had a lasting impact on you—personally or professionally?

One moment that had a lasting impact on me was during the Museum Security course. We had the chance to visit a museum in Rome and perform a security risk assessment, looking for potential vulnerabilities. This experience stayed with me because now, every time I walk into a museum, I mentally assess its security, especially regarding theft.

What was your favorite course or topic, and why did it stand out?

My favorite course was the Art Forgery Masterclass taught by Dr. Noah Charney. It reminded me of art history, which is my specialty, but with a focus on historically successful forgers. I found the topic so fascinating that I decided to write my capstone on a related subject.

How did the international nature of the program influence your learning experience?

Learning in a classroom is one thing. Studying in a foreign country is something else entirely. Going to Amelia was my first time leaving the United States. Although I was nervous, I believe the location made the experience unforgettable. Immersing myself in the culture and slower pace of life in Amelia was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Days felt peaceful, connections were meaningful, and it was the perfect place to spend the summer.

Did the program change or shape your career path? 

Yes, it did. I am still exploring what I want to do long-term, but I knew after the program that I wanted to pursue a career in cultural heritage protection. I am just still exploring how to enter the field. I currently work as an arts and engagement coordinator and also teach art history as an adjunct professor. I am now pursuing a PhD with an institution that holds international residencies twice a year.                                                                                    I chose this program because it reminded me of ARCA and the opportunity to study art in an international setting.

Can you share a memorable interaction you had with faculty, guest speakers, or fellow students?

As I mentioned earlier, the course with Dr. Noah Charney was my favorite. I was familiar with him before the program, so being able to attend his class felt surreal. He later became my capstone advisor and helped me publish my article in the Journal of Art Crime. Dr. Charney has also written letters of recommendation for me, including one for my PhD application, so I am grateful that our initial interaction turned into an ongoing mentorship.

What advice would you give to someone considering applying for the 2026 programmes?

Just go for it! I tend to hesitate and overthink, but with ARCA, I kept saying yes, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life. It can be easy to talk yourself out of something that feels scary, but take the risk and trust that it will be worth it.

How has your understanding of art crime evolved since completing the program?

I learned so much during the program. Before ARCA, my knowledge of art crime was limited and based mostly on one of my favorite childhood shows, White Collar. At ARCA, I learned the real mechanisms of art crime and cultural heritage protection, and I continue to use that knowledge today.

In one sentence: why should someone consider joining ARCA's programmes?

ARCA’s programmes offer an unmatched combination of meaningful subject matter, unforgettable location, and a truly transformative experience, all while advancing your education and career.

About alumna Santana Nash

Santana Nash is an art historian and arts professional dedicated to expanding cultural engagement through the visual arts. She serves as the Artistic Residency and Student Programming Coordinator at Georgia Tech, where she curates arts initiatives that connect students and local communities with creative practitioners. Santana also teaches as an Adjunct Professor of the Arts in Atlanta, Georgia.

She holds a Master’s degree in Art History from Georgia State University and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Visual Arts at the Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts (IDSVA), specialising in Philosophy, Aesthetics, and Art Theory. Her previous experience spans museum education at the High Museum of Art, curatorial work at the Georgia Museum of Art, and research in art crime, with published work in the Journal of Art Crime.

* Dr Edgar Tijhuis is Academic Director at ARCA and is responsible for coordinating ARCA’s postgraduate certificate programmes. Since 2009, he has also taught criminology modules within ARCA's PG Certification programming.

 

In a significant victory in the fight against illicit antiquities trafficking, seventeen Egyptian artefacts have been formally returned to the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt in a handover held at the Australian Parliament House in Canberra on 26 November 2025, where officials marked the return as a milestone for cultural property protection.   Ambassador Nabil Habashi, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, presided over the ceremony, receiving the voluntarily repatriated artefacts from an Australian citizen in the city of Melbourne, in coordination with the Australian side.   Additionally, Egypt and Australia signed the documents for the return of 17 rare Pharaonic artefacts to Egypt.

As Per MP Tony Burk, "most of the objects were purchased online and imported into Australia from the United States of America on separate occasions. A number were detected during a 2019 global operation to combat cultural property trafficking led by INTERPOL and the World Customs Organisation." 

Left Image: Artemis Auction sale photo Right Image:  Restituted cartonnage ensemble

The child's cartonnage ensemble, used for adorning a mummified body, is interesting as it was put up for auction online by Teresa and Bob Dodge at Artemis Fine Arts auction house in Louisville, Colorado where it reportedly sold for $10,000 USD on 13 February 2020.  

The provenance listed for the auction of this artefact was listed as:

Private J.H. collection, Beaverton, Oregon, USA; ex-Relics of the Nile, Lexington, Kentucky; ex-private S.O. Simonian collection, Switzerland, acquired in Egypt and transported to Switzerland in 1972, where they have been held in storage since 2010

J.H. is Jeff Hallen, a part-time collector-dealer in Beaverton, Oregon who, according to his Facebook profile was once affiliated with Yanto Alexander Fine Art.  He has also stated in a social media group that he was selling his collection through Artemis in Colorado.   Relics of the Nile, is a virtual dealer operated by Mike Sigler who in turn has purchased and circulated ancient artefacts which have passed through the hands of at least one suspect dealer operating in Dubai.

One should also note that this online sale took place in 2020, the year after Serop Simonian's name was scandalously linked as the alleged trafficker of the Gold Coffin of Nedjemankh, seized by the D.A.’s Office in Manhattan and HSI New York from the Metropolitan Museum of Art as well as other problematic pieces.  Given the high visibility of that scandal, it is reasonable to question what level of due diligence, if any, was conducted by Dodge when Artemis purchased, or accepted, the cartonnage on consignment, before subsequently auctioning the suspect artefacts onward to the  collector in Melbourne.

Why This Matters for the Global Fight Against Cultural Heritage Crime

The repatriation of these objects highlights a few critical truths for the broader field of cultural heritage protection:

It demonstrates that trafficked artefacts can surface and travel anywhere in the world, even in countries far removed from their origin, and that the illicit trade in cultural property often spans multiple continents, from excavation zones in post-conflict source countries, through transit countries, and on to primary and secondary market countries changing hands multiple times in sales and exports before arriving to private collectors, 

Laws like Australia’s Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act, combined with effective enforcement at borders and cooperation between national authorities, is what makes a real difference in recovering cultural property for source nations. And restitution is more than a symbolic act, it allows communities to reclaim part of their collective heritage.  For organisations like Association for Research into Crimes against Art (ARCA), this case serves as a concrete reminder that global vigilance, cross-border collaboration, and robust legal frameworks are essential if we are to put even a small dent in the tide of illicit heritage trafficking.

As we reflect on this satisfactory outcome, we should ask ourselves: how many more objects remain untraced, circulating anonymously through auction houses, private collections, or illicit networks? And if I found it this easy to trace the provenance of just one of these restituted objects, why is it that dealers and auction houses continye to walk around with one eye closed for the sake of a sale? 

By:  Lynda Albertson

Three men, aged between 35 and 39, had already been indicted following the launch of formal judicial proceedings on 29 October. All three face charges of robbery in an organised gang and criminal association. 

Two of the named suspects, Ayed Ghelamallah and Abdoulaye Niakate, are alleged to be the pair who entered the Louvre gallery on the François Mitterrand quay while posing as workmen. They were arrested on 25 October and ordered into pretrial detention. Their identification reportedly stems from DNA recovered both at the crime scene and from one of the motorbikes used during their escape.

A third, member of the four-man team, Slimane K., who is suspected of having driven one of the two scooters used in the theft, was arrested on 29 October.  He has  likewise been ordered held in police custody pending trial. All four alleged participants appear to have lived in or near the Aubervilliers commune in the Seine-Saint-Denis district of Paris.

In addition to the suspected thieves, a 38-year-old woman arrested on 29 October has been charged with complicity in the robbery.

Today's Developments

The four new arrests made today remain under investigation and follow the continuing work of France's BRB to dismantle the full network believed to have been involved in or provided material support for the museum theft. 

Despite the progress made by investigators, the stolen jewels, which are estimated to be worth approximately 88 million euros, have not yet been recovered.

In a major operation targeting two antiquities-trafficking networks, the Palermo unit of the Carabinieri’s Nucleo Tutela del Patrimonio Culturale (TPC), under coordination by the Catania Deputy Prosecutor, Fabio Scavone, has uncovered evidence of extensive clandestine excavations at more than twenty archaeological sites in Sicily and an additional site in Roccelletta di Borgia, Calabria.  These incidences, carried out between 2021 and 2023. resulted in the systematic removal of a substantial number of cultural artefacts, which were then smuggled out of Italy and laundered onto the licit ancient art market.

Maria Lisa Aloi
Filippo Asero
Salvatore Romano Benfatto
Giuseppe Bertolami
Vincenzo Boccadifuoco
Salvatore Bonaventura
Giuseppe Buceti
Filadelfo Calvagna
Salvatore Camonita
Giovanni Castro
Salvatore Cavallaro
Benedetto Chiara
Carmelo De Luca
Fortunata Di Dio
Giuseppe Di Mauro
Alfio Emmanuele
Giuseppe Esposito
Domenico Faranda
Gaetano Faranda
Emanuele Ferro
Vincenzo Filonardi
Filippo Franceschino
Mario Gagliano
Vittorio Emanuele Guzzetta Bongiovanni
Giuseppe Salvatore Insigna
Leandro Insolia
Massimiliano Insolia
Enrico Lo Verde
Massimo Lucca
Settimo Carmelo Minnella
Umberto Moruzzi
Adriano Nicotra
Michele Consolato Nicotra
Salvatore Palumbo
Andrea Panicotti
Gianfranco Paternò
Nicolò Petronio
Giuseppe Pezzino
Sergiu Ionica Pop
Antonio Portale
Simone Adriano Petrin
Alessandro Privitera
Giuseppe Rapisarda
Vincenzo Rau
Antonio Francesco Rotondo
Francesco Salvia
Santo Sambataro
Vito Spitaleri
Vito Stancanelli
Giuseppe Strano
Pietro Tomasello

Salvatore Tomasello (born 1957)

Salvatore Tomasello (born 1967),
Giuseppe Sebastian Viola

Dense in detail the TPC report demonstrates that wire taps placed on the suspects phones revealed that some accomplices used code words to describe the tools of the illicit trade used in their looting activities as well the names of the sites they plundered.  Likewise, on occasion the accomplices lapsed into speaking frankly,  discussing individual artefacts, silver, and jewellery found during their clandestine excavations.

According to early reports, the crime began around 4:45 p.m. Two men entered the museum located at 24 Chemin du Bois-de-Vaux after purchasing tickets at the entrance. They moved among the exhibits without drawing attention, blending in with the remaining visitors. Shortly before the museum’s scheduled closing time of 6:00 p.m., and after the last visitors had departed for the evening, the men are alleged assaulted and overpowered the 64 year old security guard. The guard was assaulted and restrained, leaving the perpetrators free to break open a display case containing a selection of Roman gold coins.

The city of Lausanne has confirmed that the items stolen were gold coins from the museum’s celebrated Maladière Treasure, also known as the Vidy Treasure. This coin hoard, made up of roughly seventy gold aurei, dates from the reign of Emperor Tiberius, i.e., from about 14 to 37 CE.  They were uncovered during archaeological exploration work at the site of the ancient city of Lousonna in the 1930s, just steps away from the Roman museum.

Shortly after 144 AD, this hoard of coins, then one of the ten largest known in the Roman world, was buried in Lousonna in two separate hiding places inside the same house and span more than a century of Roman numismatic history. Each batch contained 35 gold coins: the first grouping minted between 72 and 143 CE,  and the second between 100 and 144 CE.  The variety represented in the Vidy Treasure makes it an invaluable resource for studying the monetary and cultural life of theRoman settlement in Switzerland near Lake Geneva.

The museum has not yet released a full list of the missing items and an active investigation is underway. Authorities are reviewing security footage and interviewing staff in an effort to identify the two thieves, while curators begin the difficult process of assessing which pieces have been taken. 

Since 2017, across Europe and beyond, museums have seen a rise in gold and jewellery related thefts in recent years, a trend driven largely by the intrinsic value and portability of the material itself. Unlike most art objects, which require a buyer willing to traffic in identifiable cultural property, gold artefacts such as coins offer thieves an immediate and anonymous payout: they can be melted down, stripped of identifying features, and sold as raw bullion within hours. This makes ancient coins, and other gold objects particularly attractive targets, especially for opportunistic criminal groups who view cultural heritage not for its historical significance but for its liquidation potential. 

With 70 coins in all, this treasure represents one avoirdupois pound of gold or slightly more than 14 troy ounces.  At the time of this hoard's burial, the gold coins were worth about 7,000 sesterces, the equivalent of 7 years’ salary for a legionary living in  that period.  At the time this blog article was written the current spot price for gold in Switzerland was approximately CHF 3,286.57 per troy ounce, meaning that melted down these historic finds would be worth approximately CHF 47,922. 

While the loss of any part of the Maladière Treasure represents a significant blow, both to the museum’s collection and to the wider field of Roman archaeology,  museums need to start treating their gold collections as high-risk holdings, balancing public access with heightened security to protect objects that are uniquely vulnerable to fast, irreversible destruction.