Hobby Lobby smuggles thousands of Iraqi artifacts

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In summary, the United States is filing a civil complaint to forfeit thousands of cuneiform tablets and clay bullae that originated in Iraq and were smuggled into the United States through the United Arab Emirates and Israel. The DOJ website reports that Hobby Lobby was involved in the smuggling, and that this may have been an attempt to discredit Hobby Lobby.
  • #1
Greg Bernhardt
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Pretty astounding they didn't think they'd get caught. I mean, maybe dozens, even hundreds, but thousands? Of course someone is going to look into that! How shameful!

https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/p...it-thousands-ancient-iraqi-artifacts-imported

Earlier today, the United States filed a civil complaint to forfeit thousands of cuneiform tablets and clay bullae. As alleged in the complaint, these ancient clay artifacts originated in the area of modern-day Iraq and were smuggled into the United States through the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel, contrary to federal law. Packages containing the artifacts were shipped to Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. (“Hobby Lobby”), a nationwide arts-and-crafts retailer based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and two of Hobby Lobby’s corporate affiliates. The shipping labels on these packages falsely described cuneiform tablets as tile “samples.”
 
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  • #2
Sounds phony to me - considering that Hobby Lobby has powerful enemies. Needs some very serious fact-checking.
 
  • #3
Marie Fecher said:
Sounds phony to me - considering that Hobby Lobby has powerful enemies. Needs some very serious fact-checking.
The source is the US Department of Justice website. Not Daily Mail.
 
  • #5
They definitely did something. Exactly what isn't so clear, because as one of the conditions of the agreement usually one is not allowed to challenge the government's version of events. I think it's clear that they were dealing with some shifty characters, but what parts of this were Hobby Lobby's idea and what parts of this were these shifty characters' probably will never be known.
 
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  • #6
I occasionally go to a Hobby Lobby store to pick up something needed for a restore project. From now on, should I go, this will enter my mind. :oldcry:
 
  • #7
If you need to restore ancient Sumerian objects, you should be golden!
 
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Vanadium 50 said:
If you need to restore ancient Sumerian objects, you should be golden!
:doh: :oldlaugh:
 
  • #9
Vanadium 50 said:
If you need to restore ancient Sumerian objects, you should be golden!
I predict this will calve off shortly.
 

What are the accusations against Hobby Lobby?

Hobby Lobby has been accused of smuggling thousands of ancient Iraqi artifacts into the United States for their private collection.

Why is this considered a problem?

The smuggling of artifacts is a violation of international laws and can contribute to the destruction of cultural heritage sites. It also supports the black market for stolen artifacts and deprives countries of their cultural heritage.

How did Hobby Lobby obtain these artifacts?

Hobby Lobby allegedly used multiple middlemen and fake invoices to acquire the artifacts, bypassing legal channels and avoiding suspicion from customs officials.

What actions have been taken against Hobby Lobby?

The company was fined $3 million and forced to return the artifacts to Iraq. They also agreed to implement new policies to prevent the acquisition of illegally sourced artifacts in the future.

What is the significance of this case?

This case sheds light on the widespread issue of looting and smuggling of cultural artifacts, and the role that private collectors and companies may play in perpetuating it. It also highlights the importance of ethical and legal practices in acquiring artifacts for private collections.

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