WASHINGTON, D.C. – Hobby Lobby has returned smuggled artifacts worth millions to Iraq, and agreed to pay a $3 million penalty after alleged illegal activities, the federal government says.
On May 2, 2018, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) returned 3,800 ancient artifacts, including cuneiform tablets, cylinder seals, and clay bullae, to the Republic of Iraq. The artifacts were smuggled into the United States in violation of federal law and shipped to Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc, a nationwide arts-and-crafts retailer.
In 2017, the U.S. government filed a stipulation of settlement with Hobby Lobby, in which Hobby Lobby consented to the forfeiture of the artifacts in the complaint, approximately 144 cylinder seals and an additional sum of $3 million, resolving the civil action. Hobby Lobby further agreed to adopt internal policies and procedures governing its importation and purchase of cultural property, provide appropriate training to its personnel, hire qualified outside customs counsel and customs brokers, and submit quarterly reports to the government on any cultural property acquisitions for the next eighteen months.
“On behalf of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and thanks to the hard work of the Office of the Special Agent in Charge in New York, it is a great honor for me to return so many priceless cultural artifacts to the people of Iraq,” said ICE Acting Director Thomas D. Homan. “I would like to thank my colleagues at U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York for making this repatriation possible,” Homan added.
The artifacts returned were initially intercepted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The shipping labels on these packages falsely described the cuneiform tablets as tile samples.
“CBP is honored to have played a role, together with ICE, in the return of these national treasures to their rightful owner, the Republic of Iraq. In doing so, we ensure the protection of this priceless cultural heritage and secure a precious, tangible link to the past for future generations,” said U.S. Customs and Border Protection Assistant Commissioner Ian Saunders.
After a review of the items and their documentation, ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agents, in conjunction with Assistant U.S. Attorneys at United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York (EDNY) conducted interviews of a number of Hobby Lobby employees between January and June of 2016 which led to the discovery of a deliberate intent by employees of the company to avoid using a customs broker for the artifacts related to this transaction.
Returning a nation’s looted cultural heritage or stolen artwork, promotes goodwill with foreign governments and citizens, while significantly protecting the world’s cultural heritage and knowledge of past civilizations.
The theft and trafficking of cultural heritage and art is a tradition as old as the cultures they represent. What has changed is the ability of cultural pirates to acquire, transport and sell valuable cultural property and art swiftly, easily and stealthily. These criminals operate on a global scale without regard for laws, borders, nationalities or the significance of the treasures they smuggle.
Good – return all the muzzlims and give them money to spend.
All you Hobby Lobby lovers don’t need to worry because the Donald will pardon Hobby Lobby as it will guarantee him a few more votes.
Don’t see many posts from Hobby Lobby lovers, where do you come up with this drivel?
They are being unusually quiet as they do when Trump and the right wing do something that is unethical, illegal or just plain stupid.
What a Dumb Ass thing to say by the hypocrite, left wing nut job.
The owner of Hobby Lobby just opened a bible museum in Washington DC, so that’s probably where these things were headed. Oh, the irony. Devout Christian rips off Muslim artifacts for a bible museum that he makes money from.
And Hobby Lobby gets caught holding the bag. It would be interesting to know the chain of people who helped smuggled these artifacts out of Iraq. The spoils of war, that’s the real crime.
They were probably just trying to save the artifacts from being destroyed by ISIS or other Muslims.
Now that is hilarious ! Just another example of the Alt-right, Fundamentalist, Evangelical, Hypocritical, Christian, gas bags commonly accepted behavior !
It would be interesting to know the chain of people who helped smuggled these artifacts out of Iraq.
Really, are you trying to say that Muslim’s might have been involved in smuggling these artifacts out of Iraq? Can it be that these people have no class, morals or integrity?
Can you say “Holier than thou”? Such hypocrites, like so many rich these days. Looks like they will have to raise the prices of their Chinese (Un-American) crap.
Glad to see so many others as offended as I am by Hobby Lobby’s criminal behavior and hypocrisy.
Did they make sure that their “exporters/suppliers” we’re not homosexuals?
“Hobby Lobby’s owners portray their company as a Christian business and are known for supporting Christian causes.”
They better start quickly working on getting a camel to pass through the eye of a needle…they’ll need every hope they can muster.
They are such good Christians.
Iraq is going to love us now. Sad that they have progressed so little since these tablets were created.
“About 3,800 artifacts, including Sumerian cuneiform tablets dating to 2100 B.C., that were illegally smuggled to retailer Hobby Lobby Stores “…