The 1911 Chagall painting “Othello and Desdemona,” stolen nearly 30 years ago, was turned over to the FBI. The painting and 13 other art and jewelry objects were taken in 1988 by a worker in the building where Ernest and Rose Heller lived surrounded by their many paintings. The thief enlisted the aid of a man in Maryland, with ties to Bulgarian mobsters, to sell the painting. They had a falling out which resulted in the Maryland man keeping the painting in his attic for many years. He tried to sell it in 2011 and again in 2017 but he couldn’t find a purchaser because the painting lacked ownership paperwork. A gallery owner shown the painting suggested he contact the FBI, which he did. No one was charged because the statute of limitations for the theft has expired. The other thirteen items are still missing.
The Hellers purchased the painting in the 1920s. They have both died, so the painting has been returned to their heirs. They are auctioning it, reimbursing the insurance company that paid the theft claim, and the rest will go to charitable organizations favored by the Hellers.
Once the assistant (to the thief) had tried to sell the stolen painting recently, he was most likely afraid the gallery owners reported it to the FBI. It is highly likely that they did report that this stolen painting resurfaced, as they should (as that’s the responsible thing to do). As a professional stolen art dealer with overseas mob connections, this criminal knew that the statute of limitations for his crimes had expired, and that he would not face charges. This greedy man kept this (and possibly many other) beautiful, unique art from the world, dangerously hoarding it in his attic, bent on financial gain. He contacted the FBI only because he felt he had to, and for any reward. I am pleased that there was no reward for this man’s selfish, stingy, thoughtless deeds. Glad that this painting has finally been recovered and the story of it’s journeys revealed.
Yes, it was the middle man who contacted the FBI; I was confused about that. I must add though: the middleman was pretty brazen to expect a reward. He had committed a crime himself, and if not for the expiration of the statute of limitations, he would have been in trouble. He knowingly tried to sell the stolen painting; more than once! And then, he kept it; possibly stealing it from the thief! Not to mention the fact that he had mob connections, and the FBI might have been very glad to find him!
This was the middle man who turned it in to the FBI, not the thief himself.
Because the statute of limitations for the theft ran out and he could no longer be charged with anything. He could turn it over without any consequences.
According to The Washington Post article of April 12th, “In the case of the Chagall piece, various sales approaches by the Maryland associate failed before he finally called the FBI asking whether there was a reward for the stolen painting, said Hess and Tim Carpenter, who oversees field programs for the FBI art crimes unit, which has about 150 pending cases.
There was no reward, but agents confirmed the work was stolen…”. So….The statute of limitations for the crime was up & the assistant of the theif wanted any reward monies.
The thief tried to sell it for years, but could not. The gallery owner convinced him to do the right thing, and call the FBI. He had nothing to lose, because he could not be prosecuted- the statute of limitations had expired.
It wasn’t the thief but someone whom the thief enlisted help to sell the painting.
He couldn’t sell it and maybe he didn’t want his family finding a stolen painting in the attic when he died.
Something “ain’t” right about this story. Why would the thief call the FBI to turn himself in?