FBI returns 48 looted Egyptian artifacts to officials

The FBI Los Angeles Field Office held a ceremony to return 48 looted cultural artifacts to representatives of the Egyptian government. The repatriated items include carved figurines, amulets, and tomb equipment dating from the Pharaonic, Roman, and Coptic periods.

Authorities confirmed the authenticity of the objects through cooperation between the U.S. Department of State, antiquities experts, and the FBI’s legal attaché in Cairo. While the suspected trafficker is deceased, the investigation remains open as officials attempt to identify potential co-conspirators and locate additional illegally obtained artifacts.

The return follows a 2016 cultural property agreement between the United States and Egypt, which allows for import restrictions on certain archaeological materials to combat illicit trafficking. The FBI’s Art Crime Team, established in 2004, has recovered over 20,000 items valued at more than $1 billion to date.