Manhattan U.S. Attorney Recovers Stolen Dinosaur Fossils from Texas-based Auction House

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara announced the recovery of additional dinosaur fossils for repatriation to Mongolia. The fossils include a Tyrannosaurus bataar skeleton, a Saurolophus Angustirostris skeleton, an Oviraptor matrix, and an Oviraptor skeleton.

The fossils were seized from Heritage Auctions, Inc., a Texas-based auction house. The company had offered the fossils for sale at an auction in New York City, despite a Temporary Restraining Order prohibiting the sale.

The fossils are valued at over $1 million. They include a Tyrannosaurus bataar skeleton, a Saurolophus Angustirostris skeleton, an Oviraptor matrix, and an Oviraptor skeleton.

The Government of Mongolia has enacted laws declaring dinosaur fossils to be the property of the Government of Mongolia since 1924. The country has also criminalized the export of dinosaur fossils.

The fossils were imported into the United States between 2010 and 2012 with false statements on the customs importation documents. The country of origin of the fossils was listed incorrectly, and the value of the fossils was understated.

The case is a significant step in returning missing pieces of the Mongolian people’s history. The fossils are expected to be returned to Mongolia soon.

Defendant: Heritage Auctions, Inc.

Criminal Charges: Smuggling Stolen Fossils

City and State: New York

Exact Date: May 2013

Sentence or Outcome: Fossils seized and to be returned to Mongolia

Dollar Amounts: Over $1 million

MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS

White Collar Crime

Cherokee Resources, Pollution, NC 1995

Aug 5, 1993

White Collar Crime

Frederick Fish, Fraud, MA 2001

Jan 12, 2001

White Collar Crime

Joe Neel Taylor, Illegal Discharge, TX 2003

Apr 11, 2002

White Collar Crime

Pillsbury Company, Pollution, MO 1991

Oct 22, 1990