U.S. Returns 9 Stolen Paintings to Peru
- September 08, 2014 12:44
Nine artworks stolen from a church in Lima were returned by U.S.officials to the government of Peru on Friday. The works were by 18th-century artist Miguel Cabrera and had been missing since 2008.
The FBI recovered 8 of the artworks at a Cedar Rapids, Iowa, auction house. "The Resurrection of Lazarus" was found at a New York City auction and relinquished to authorities.
Manhattan U.S. attorney Preet Bharara says the looters have not yet been identified. In a FBI release, he stated, “We are pleased to return these nine Miguel Cabrera paintings. They are part of Peru’s cultural heritage, but they were stolen from a church in Lima six years ago and smuggled out of Peru to be trafficked on the international art market. Our Office is committed to ensuring that stolen artwork, especially when it is an important part of a nation’s cultural heritage, does not find a safe haven for resale in the Southern District of New York or elsewhere in the U.S.”
