$8.3 M. of Trafficked Antiquities Returned to Turkey by Manhattan District Attorney’s Office

A hoard of 14 antiquities, collectively valued at more than $8.3 million, were returned to Turkey by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. on September 12, according to the district attorney’s office.

The objects in question were linked to several ongoing investigations, among them, a trafficking network that systemically looted the ancient city of Bubon in Turkey and trafficked the works to New York. Pieces connected to an investigation of convicted trafficker Richard Beale were also seized.

The archaeological site Bubon houses a shrine dedicated to venerating Roman emperors. Throughout the 1960s, the city was subjected to substantial looting.

Among the most substantial artifacts returned was a 3rd century CE statue of a bearded man’s head, which was taken in 1966 and smuggled by Turkish traffickers on behalf of Robert Hecht; it was later sold by New York-based dealer Matthias Komor to a private collector, who donated the piece to the Santa Barbara Museum of Art.

A statue of a youth’s head, dating back to the 2nd to 3rd century CE, was taken in 1969 by Turkish traffickers to Switzerland. There, it was restored, before being sold to the Getty Museum by Swiss-based dealer Nicholas Koutoulakis in 1971.

A Quintus Labienus coin, with the profile of a decorated Roman general Quintus Labienus who was allied with the assassins of Julius Caesar, was also returned. Laienus fought alongside Pompey, Cassius, and Brutus, and minted the coins to compensate his troops—many of which were melted down after his execution in 39 BCE. The coin, dating to 40 BCE, was smuggled from Turkey to Germany, where it was taken to the Netherlands and subsequently the United Kingdom. Beale then laundered the artifact by way of his auction house Roma Numismatics.

The fourteen total works were returned at a ceremony attended by Deputy Minister from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey Gokhan Yazgı, Consul General from New York’s Consulate General of the Republic of Turkey Muhittin Ahmet Yazal, and Acting Deputy Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New York Kevin O’Malley.

“Türkiye considers the protection of cultural property and the prevention of illicit trafficking a top priority. Our authorities regularly engage in awareness-raising and capacity-building activities, and we have been vocal on the international stage regarding our strong stance against this serious crime. However, this fight cannot be won alone—it also requires strong cooperation,” said Yazgı in a statement.

He continued, “The cultural property that was illegally removed from Türkiye is finally coming back to its rightful home. This fills us with hope for the future, as we continue together in the fight to protect cultural heritage.”