Ashraf Omar Eldarir, A US Citizen, indicted for smuggling Egyptian antiquities

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (HSI) - Cultural Property, Arts and Antiquities (CPAA) unit within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has formally released information related to an antiquities trafficking investigation underway in the Eastern District of New York.  The case involves Ashraf Omar Eldarir, a US Citizen residing in Brooklyn who has been charged with smuggling Egyptian antiquities into the United States.

Stopped on 22 January 2020 upon arrival to John F. Kennedy International Airport from overseas, Eldarir provided US Customs and Border Protection authorities at the U.S. port of entry with a CBP declaration form, the double-sided slip of paper everyone entering the US must complete and hand over to  U.S. Customs and Border Protection upon arrival declaring the value of the goods they are bringing in from overseas.  On this form, Eldarir declared that he was only carrying merchandise and agricultural products valued at $300.  Instead, upon inspection of his belonging by CBP personnel, Eldarir was found to be transporting three suitcases full of bubble and foam-wrapped packages.

When unwrapped for further inspection by border patrol agents, the packages were found to contain 590 ancient artifacts, some of which still had adhering sand and soil, a signal which betrays their having been recently excavated.  Questioned by the authorities about the contents of his luggage, Eldarir was unable to produce any documentation which would show that he had obtained authorization from the Egyptian authorities for the exportation of the objects he was transporting.

As a result, Eldarir was subsequently arrested on 28 February 2020 and charged in the United States District Court, Eastern District of New York, on two counts of smuggling, under Title 18 U.S. Code § 545, 2 and 3551 et seq. According to the U.S. Department of Justice indictment, the first charge of smuggling is related to the aforementioned January 2020 seizure.   The second charge us related to an earlier trip, on 18 April 2019, where the defendant is alleged to have smuggled a single artefact from Egypt.

If convicted of one, or both charges, Eldarir will face a penalty of up to 20 years in prison for each count.   The United States will also seek forfeiture of the following antiquities in accordance with: (a) Title 18, United States Code, Section 982(a)(2)(B):

• forty-one (41) ancient Egyptian gold artifacts;
• nineteen (19) ancient coins;
• two (2) Greco-Roman rings;
• thirty-one (31) ancient Egyptian talismans (Ptolemaic period);
• fourteen (14) ancient beads;
• twenty-six (26) ancient Egyptian wooden figures;
• four hundred (400) ancient Egyptian faience ushabtis;
• three (3) ancient Egyptian wooden panels with painted figures;
• one ( I ) ancient Egyptian large stone face;
• two (2) Egyptian wooden masks;
• two (2) Egyptian stone panels with hieroglyphics; 
• three (3) ancient Egyptian canopic jar lids;
• two (2) ancient Greco-Roman stela;
• one (1) ancient Greco-Roman terracotta headless torso with robes;
• seven (7) ancient Greco-Roman terracotta statues; 
• three (3) ancient Egyptian large terracotta vases; 
• two (2) Egyptian smalIterracotta vases;
• two (2) Egyptian alabaster artifacts;
• two (2) ancient Egyptian Osiris headpieces/crowns; 
• twenty-six (26) ancient Greco-Roman oil lamps; 
• one (1) Greco-Roman terracotta pilgrim's flask;
• one (1) ancient Egyptian polychrome relief.

How long Mr. Eldarir has been at this remains to be disclosed. But these pieces are just the tip of a growing iceberg.  

On 1 May 2013 it seems that Eldarir sold four Egyptian limestone relief fragments for Wahibrenebahet through Bonhams in London for €31,766 claiming they were from his personal collection, inherited through his grandfather who was a friend of Prince of Egypt Omar Tosson.  Curious as to what proof of export he showed then. 

He also sold a Limestone Relief Fragment for £28,750 via Alexander Biesbroek.  Same provenance, same question as to what proof of export Mr. Biesbroek or his buyer reviewed. 

Add, rinse, repeat with the 26th Dynasty, Egyptian wood sarcophagus bust, with  Washington DC dealer Sue McGovern at Sands of Time Ancient Art.  

and then there is this Egyptian limestone relief associated with the cult of Amun which was sold through Gabriel Vandervort at Ancient Resource LLC.

And that's not all, there's more to come.  

Caveat Emptor

My suggestion is for every ancient art dealer or collector who has a piece with Eldarir provenance (and likely nothing to prove its legitimacy aside from its laundering) should really consider contacting HSI's Cultural Property, Arts and Antiquities (CPAA) unit.  They know how to google things as well as I do, and contacting them first might save you from embarrassing seizures, and no one wants that now. 

By:  Lynda Albertson