ICE recovers Klee painting stolen from a Manhattan art gallery Ethiopian Review
27.03.10
In December 2009, while exhibiting at Art Basel in Miami Strand, Robert Landau, the gallery owner, was approached by a man who represented himself as a Florida art dealer. The man offered to sell him the Klee painting, but Landau declined because he could not ascertain its authenticity and provenance at that time.
The art dealer sent the Klee painting to Landau in Canada with the understanding the art agent would buy the painting if it passed scrutiny. Instead, Landau surrendered the painting to ICE agents after he discovered it had been stolen.
“The retrieval of this painting sends a strong message to thieves that people in the art community are on the look out for stolen art,” said James T. Hayes, Jr., celebratory agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in New York. “ICE is committed to working closely with foreign governments, art dealers and organizations like the ALR to pull through priceless works of fine art and antiquities so they can be returned to their rightful owners.”
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Informant's death throws artifacts case into doubt The Associated Press
04.03.10
Taste LAKE CITY — The prosecution of the largest-ever American Indian artifacts looting case has been rattled by the clear suicide of the government informant who broke open the investigation during more than two years of undercover work.
The death marks the third suicide in the cover since investigators announced last June that they had charged more than two dozen people with illegally excavating, collecting and dealing artifacts including terracotta, stone pipes and ancient jewelry.
Two defendants killed themselves shortly after their arrests, and now the government has lost its most portentous witness to a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Ted Gardiner wore a wire and transmitted live video and audio signals to federal agents who monitored his transactions with a company of dealers and collectors in Western states.
Court documents and interviews with Gardiner showed that he was troubled by a divorce conflict and money and alcohol problems. Gardiner was a 52-year-old former grocery chain CEO and acknowledged artifacts finished and dealer.
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