The Manhattan District Attorney's office has returned 29 antiquities valued at $3 million to Greece, seized by its Antiquities Trafficking Unit from looting and trafficking networks, including those run by convicted traffickers Robin Symes and Eugene Alexander. Two of the items—a Bronze Foot in the Form of a Sphinx and a Bronze Applique of a Gorgon, both from the 6th century B.C.E.—were seized from the Metropolitan Museum of Art this year after passing through traffickers, galleries, and private collectors with false provenance.
This restitution underscores the ongoing efforts of U.S. law enforcement to dismantle international antiquities trafficking networks and repatriate looted cultural heritage. The case highlights how major museums like the Met can become unwitting repositories for stolen artifacts, and it reinforces the importance of provenance research and cross-border cooperation in protecting cultural property.