Latest news
11 Oct 2019
U.S. Attorney Announces Civil Action
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that the United States filed a civil lawsuit to resolve potential claims to “Site avec 5 personnages” (the “Painting”), an acrylic work on canvas by renowned 20th century-artist Jean Dubuffet (1901-1985) that was last known to be the personal property of Michel Cohen (“Cohen”), a former art dealer who has been under indictment for wire and mail fraud since 2003.
Press Release of U.S. Attorney's Office - Southern District of New York
11 Oct 2019
Money laundering, trafficking, ivory: crackdown on art crime intensifies
Pressure on the UK’s art trade is increasing as it faces a wave of legislative changes and increased attention from enforcement agencies. As UK courts introduced new sentencing guidelines for criminal damage to heritage assets on 1 October, the trade was counting down to the anti-money-laundering regulations that are coming into force in January and pushing for a judicial review of the contentious Ivory Act 2018.
08 Oct 2019
'Manhattan of the desert': civil war puts Yemen's ancient skyscrapers at risk
In addition to the conflict’s huge human cost, Yemen’s rich cultural heritage has been ravaged, from the Queen of Sheba’s reputed throne room to the mudbrick high-rises of Shibam.
Article by Bethan McKernan in Shibam, Yemen in The Guardian
04 Oct 2019
Art works: New method of money laundering
[...] Unlike banks, life insurance companies, casinos, currency exchangers, and even precious-metals dealers, auction houses and art sellers have no obligation to report large cash transactions to a governing authority. In fact, dealers can keep the names of buyers and sellers anonymous.
23 Sep 2019
Nazi plunder? Fight over prized artwork set for Rochester court
A treasured artwork owned by a Pittsford man has become the subject of an international legal dispute centered on allegations that Nazis stole the work from its rightful owners during World War II. Christie's, the auction house that agreed in 2016 to sell the portrait, will not allow the sale to go forward until the ownership issue is decided.