Two prominent art dealers, Subhash Kapoor and Nancy Wiener, have been accused by New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg of participating in the illegal trafficking of antiquities worth $3 million. Prosecutors have announced the return of 30 looted antiquities to Cambodia and Indonesia, including a bronze statue of the Hindu deity Shiva and a stone bas-relief sculpture stolen from the Majapahit empire.
Kapoor, who was arrested in Germany in 2011 and sentenced to 13 years in prison in India in 2022, has been the target of a US investigation called “Hidden Idol” for over a decade. Wiener, who was sentenced in 2021 for trafficking in stolen art, donated the bronze Shiva statue to the Denver Museum of Art in 2007, which was seized by New York courts in 2023.
New York City is a major hub for trafficking stolen antiquities, with works being seized from museums and private collectors in recent years. Bragg stated that there is still much more work to be done to investigate and dismantle trafficking networks targeting Southeast Asian antiquities.
The return of the looted artifacts was welcomed by Cambodia’s ambassador to the US, Keo Chhea, and Indonesia’s Consul General Winanto Adi, who both praised Bragg’s efforts as a commitment to safeguarding shared heritage. Chhea emphasized the importance of preserving the past for future generations through united efforts like this repatriation. Adi called it a “precious gift” as the US and Indonesia celebrated their 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations.
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