In a significant boost to efforts aimed at curbing cultural property theft, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. announced the recovery and repatriation of two treasured Cambodian stone sculptures. These artifacts, ensnared in the illegal trafficking web woven by notorious art smuggler Subhash Kapoor, are now to rightly returned to Cambodia, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office reported. Bragg's office has worked to shut down these intricate smuggling rings, leveraging the expertise of their Antiquities Trafficking Unit (ATU). The announcement comes amidst an ongoing triumph against Kapoor, whose extradition from India is stoutly pending.
The ATU's dogged investigations have, over the years, managed to not only secure convictions for five of Kapoor's accomplices but also to have another five awaiting extradition. This has brought back over 30 cultural artifacts to Cambodian soil in recent times. "I am pleased that we have been able to return more than 30 pieces to Cambodia in just the past several years. That is a testament to the outstanding work of our investigators and prosecutors, and I thank them for their continued efforts to dismantle these smuggling rings," District Attorney Bragg was quoted in the press release. The return of the sculptures coincides with the 75th anniversary of Cambodia-U.S. diplomatic relations, amplifying its symbolic heft.
The sculptures, steeped in historical value, had been uprooted from the Cambodian homeland by thieves and traffickers. A Grey Sandstone Torso from the Bauphon Period, dating back to the 11th century, had been ferreted away after the tumult of the Cambodian Civil War, only to surface at an auction in London. Moreover, the Angkor style Khmer Head of a Ruler also told a tale of theft and damage before it was intercepted in the United States. As the rightful artifacts prepare to voyage back, the significance of this act resonates deeply with the people of Cambodia. Cambodian Ambassador Koy Kuong lauded the return of the cultural treasures, acknowledging it as reflective of the robust partnership and shared values with the U.S., as detailed by the D.A.'s Office.
The work of the ATU has not gone unnoticed, having recovered nearly 2,300 antiquities stolen from 39 countries, whose combined value surges over $250 million, under Bragg's watch. Since its inception, the ATU has been able to recover to almost 6,000 antiquities valued at more than $460 million. Assistant District Attorney Matthew Bogdanos, leading the ATU, conducted the investigations with his team. Support from international partners, like Huot Samnang from Cambodia's Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, the Celtrac Team of the University of Poitiers, and cooperation from individuals like James E. Breece III have been critical to achieving these repatriation accomplishments.
