Official FBI announcements or credible news sources reporting on the investigation

FBI Investigates Sale of Stolen British Museum Treasures to US eBay Buyers

May 27, 2024, 09:07 AM

The FBI is investigating the sale of hundreds of treasures suspected to have been stolen from the British Museum. The investigation focuses on whether these stolen items ended up in the hands of US buyers through eBay. The case came to light in 2020 when Danish antiquities dealer Dr. Ittai Gradel suspected an eBay seller he had been buying from was a thief. The British Museum later announced that thousands of objects were missing in what is believed to be an inside job. The museum has committed to compensating buyers who unknowingly purchased stolen gems from its collection.