Mohamad Yassin Alcharihi, a California man, was sentenced to three months in prison for illegally importing a 2,000-pound Syrian mosaic of the Roman demigod Hercules. Alcharihi lied to customs about the mosaic, which dates back to the Roman Empire, and purchased it for $12,000 in 2015. The mosaic was seized from his garage and will be repatriated to Syria, as it depicts Hercules rescuing Prometheus. Alcharihi falsely classified the mosaic’s value and quality when importing it from Turkey to the Port of Long Beach.
The case highlights ongoing issues with looted art being discovered in the U.S., such as a Massachusetts family finding art looted from Japan in their attic and a New York family voluntarily returning artifacts to Cambodia. The United Nations Security Council has passed resolutions condemning the destruction of cultural and religious sites in Syria by terrorist groups.
Alcharihi’s sentencing also revealed details about the smuggling scheme, including his lies to a third-party broker about the mosaic’s value and origin. He had it shipped along with other items, falsely declared as “ornamental art” and “ceramic, unglazed tiles.” Despite claiming the mosaic was from his family’s property in Turkey, experts determined it was a rare, looted piece routed through Turkey since 2012.
Alcharihi’s wife and supporters requested he avoid jail time, citing his dedication to family and assisting civilians in Syria. However, U.S. attorneys argued that his smuggling scheme tainted his otherwise commendable life story. The mosaic, currently valued at $450,000, is stored in Los Angeles awaiting its return to Syria.
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