Two antiquities dealers, Erdal Dere and Faisal Khan, were indicted by a New York grand jury for falsifying the provenances of multiple antiquities that were subsequently sold through their New York gallery. They allegedly claimed that the antiquities were from the collections of dead owners and created fake documentation to back their claims. The dealers are charged with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, and the court ordered the forfeiture of all remaining antiquities and all proceeds from the sale of falsely documented antiquities. Given the effort the two went to in order to obscure the origin of the antiquities likely means that they were looted and illegally removed from their country of origin.
This is the first step in what is likely to be a long and protracted legal battle. But regardless of the fate of these two men, the damage to the historical record can never be undone. You can read the indictment here.
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