Return of 10th Century Sandstone Sculpture to the Kingdom of Cambodia Announced

Return of 10th Century Sandstone Sculpture to the Kingdom of Cambodia Announced

NEW YORK, NY - U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara and Special Agent-in-Charge James T. Hayes, Jr., of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations announce the return of the Duryodhana, a 10th Century sandstone sculpture, to the Kingdom of Cambodia. The return of the Duryodhana follows the settlement of a civil forfeiture action filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, which alleged that the Duryodhana was stolen from the Prasat Chen temple at Koh Ker in 1972 by an organized looting network, and ultimately imported into the United States and offered for sale by Sotheby's Inc. The settlement of the civil forfeiture action, which was approved by United States District Judge George B. Daniels on December 16, 2013, required Sotheby's and the customer selling the Duryodhana, Decia Ruspoli de Poggia Suasa, to return the sculpture to the Kingdom of Cambodia.