FBI Investigates British Museum Artifacts Sold in the US
The FBI is investigating the sale of hundreds of treasures from the British Museum to US buyers. Over 260 items have been returned to the museum, which claims ownership. A senior curator is accused of stealing and selling artifacts.
The FBI is currently investigating the sale of what are suspected to be hundreds of treasures from the British Museum to buyers in the United States. The BBC understands that the FBI has also facilitated the return of 268 items sold to a collector in Washington DC, which the British Museum claims as part of its collection.
Last year, the British Museum reported that numerous ancient gems, jewelry, and other items were missing, stolen, or damaged. In a notable case, a buyer from New Orleans disclosed that an FBI agent had contacted him for information regarding two pieces he had purchased on eBay.
The FBI agent indicated that they were aiding the Metropolitan Police in investigating the missing or stolen items. The New Orleans buyer stated that he no longer possesses the gems and doubts they have been found by the authorities. He added that the FBI did not request any additional information from him.
The British Museum has recovered 626 of the estimated 1,500 missing items. Among these, 100 items have been located but not yet returned. Most of the stolen items were uncatalogued, complicating the museum's efforts to prove their provenance. In some instances, collectors have agreed to donate items back to the museum for assessment.
A senior curator, Peter Higgs, has been accused of stealing, damaging, melting down, and selling ancient artifacts, amounting to an estimated £100,000. The museum alleges that Dr. Higgs, who has been dismissed, sold items mostly through eBay over a decade. He has denied these allegations and is currently defending a civil claim against him.
According to court documents, the museum claims Dr. Higgs admitted that the eBay account "sultan1966" belonged to him. Several buyers reported interactions with a seller named "Paul Higgins" or "Paul," who matches Dr. Higgs' profile.
One buyer, Tonio Birbiglia from New Orleans, confirmed purchasing an amethyst gem depicting Cupid riding a dolphin for £42 in May 2016, and an orange scarab-beetle gem for £170. Payments for these items were made to a PayPal account linked to Dr. Higgs' personal email. Mr. Birbiglia expressed shock upon being contacted by the FBI and noted that the agency did not pursue the matter further after initial contact.
The British Museum is continuing efforts to identify and recover items believed to be part of its collection. Investigations have revealed that items were sold globally, with artifacts traced to cities including Hamburg, Cologne, Paris, and Hong Kong. Danish antiquities dealer Dr. Ittai Gradel, who first alerted the museum to the thefts, identified several artifacts in private collections and museum displays, including a rare 2nd-century head of Hercules made from obsidian.
The ongoing investigation highlights the challenges museums face in protecting and reclaiming their cultural heritage in an age of global antiquities trade.
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