Press Releases

Subcommittee Examines Illicit Activity in Antiquities, Art Trade


Washington, June 23, 2017 - WASHINGTON – The Terrorism and Illicit Finance Subcommittee held a hearing today to examine the best ways to counter the plunder and sale of priceless cultural antiquities and art by terrorists and criminal enterprises.

“During times of conflict we see an increased interest in the theft, fraud, looting, and trafficking of priceless religious and cultural sites for artifacts and other antiquities. The longstanding transnational phenomenon of the theft and looting of antiquities attributes greatly to the establishment of illicit network and financing of criminal enterprises ranging from cartels to terrorist groups. Today’s hearing will help us better understand how these terrorist and criminal organizations exploit antiquities so we can combat the illicit trading for a safer tomorrow, while protecting our the cultural and religious histories of civilizations around the world,” said subcommittee Chair Steve Pearce (R-NM)

Key Takeaways from the Hearing:

  • The theft, fraud, looting, and trafficking of artifacts and cultural materials, including art and antiquities, is a longstanding transnational phenomenon that can facilitate money laundering, enrich criminal actors and terrorist groups, and destroy the cultural heritage of nations.
  • In a March 2017 report, the non-governmental group Global Financial Integrity (GFI) estimated the global annual revenue generated from the illicit trade in cultural property between $1.2 and $1.6 billion annually.   The same report noted that “[t]he extent of global art theft and antiquities trafficking is likely underestimated due to many thefts being unnoticed or unreported.”
  • While not as lucrative as oil or extortion, numerous reports indicate that ISIS in particular self-finances through a diversified revenue stream, including by encouraging and profiting from antiquities looting in the territory it controls.

Topline Quotes from Witnesses:

“Cultural property and antiquities trafficking is likely to remain attractive to transnational criminal organizations due to international demand for cultural property, its profitability, and lower relative risk to other illicit goods, such as narcotics. Selling cultural property is seen by the perpetrators as one more way to fund their criminal activities, or one more way to launder the profits they have made from other illegal efforts. Further, the transnational n ature of illicit cultural property movement is likely beyond any one law enforcement agency’s capacity to detect and deter, since some cultural property can be somewhat easily obtained and transported. Certain countries, such as Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and Egypt are source countries that are of greatest concern too ICE, due to the advent of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).” – Raymond Villanueva, Assistant Director for International Operations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations

“There is good reason to suspect that the illicit antiquities trade is going through a reconfiguration that involves the integration of organized criminal networks and terrorist groups. The extent of their involvement will only become clear as additional research is conducted. Researchers at the Smithsonian and other collaborating institutions in the archaeological community are looking to address this topic in order to ensure the protection of cultural heritage for future generations.” – Brian I. Daniels, PH.D., Research Associate, Smithsonian Institute

“Although the Middle East, and especially Syria and Iraq, receive the most attention, the problem of looting and trafficking of cultural property is by no means limited to these areas. There is clear evidence for serious concerns about looting and trafficking in many other areas of the world. Within the United States itself, there are concerns about illegal acquisition and trafficking in cultural objects, including items important for American Indian Tribes, and where there are indications that such items are being illicitly exported, the Department of State is working to respond, together with other Federal agencies such as the Departments of Justice, Interior and Homeland Security.” – Alyson Grunder, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State


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