US Returns 657 Stolen Antiquities Worth $14 Million to India

In a notable development for cultural heritage, the United States has returned 657 antiquities to India, collectively valued at nearly $14 million. The announcement was made by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who stated that while this return is significant, there remains "more work to be done" in the effort to reclaim stolen artifacts.

The antiquities were recovered through extensive investigations into trafficking networks, including those linked to the disgraced art dealer Subhash Kapoor and convicted trafficker Nancy Wiener. The return ceremony was attended by Consul Rajlakshmi Kadam from the Consulate General of India in New York, underscoring the importance of international cooperation in these matters.

Bragg noted the extensive scale of the trafficking networks that have targeted India's cultural heritage, as evidenced by the return of over 600 pieces. He expressed gratitude to his team for their relentless efforts in this ongoing battle against antiquities trafficking.

Among the notable items returned is a bronze figure of Avalokiteshvara, valued at $2 million. This statue, seated on an inscribed double-lotus base, was created by craftsman Dronaditya from Sipur, near present-day Raipur, Chhattisgarh. The Avalokiteshvara was part of a large hoard discovered near the Lakshmana Temple in 1939 and had been in the collection of the Mahant Ghasidas Memorial Museum since 1952. It was stolen from the museum and smuggled into the US by 1982, eventually ending up in a private collection in New York by 2014, where it was seized in 2025.

Tracing the Path of Looted Artifacts

Another artifact returned is a sandstone figure of a dancing Ganesha, looted from a temple in Madhya Pradesh in 2000 by one of Kapoor's co-conspirators, Ranjeet Kanwar. This statue was later sold and shipped to New York by convicted trafficker Vaman Ghiya. After being consigned and sold at a Christie’s auction in 2012, it was ultimately surrendered to the Manhattan District Attorney’s office earlier this year.

Additionally, a red sandstone figure of a Buddha, damaged during its looting from Northern India, was also among the returned items. This statue, valued at $7.5 million, was smuggled into New York by Kapoor and seized from one of his storage units.

What Went Wrong

For over a decade, the District Attorney’s Antiquities Trafficking Unit has been investigating Kapoor and his associates for their alleged involvement in the illegal looting, exportation, and sale of artifacts from various countries in South and Southeast Asia. An arrest warrant for Kapoor was issued in 2012, and he, along with seven co-defendants, was indicted in November 2019 for their conspiracy to traffic stolen antiquities. Kapoor is currently awaiting extradition from India, where he was convicted for his trafficking activities in 2022.

The Antiquities Trafficking Unit has recovered more than 6,200 cultural treasures valued at over $485 million, returning more than 5,900 of those to 36 countries. The unit has also secured convictions for 18 individuals involved in cultural property crimes, with seven additional alleged traffickers pending extradition.