13-9-2023 (NEW YORK) The family of the late American pipeline billionaire George Lindemann has made the “momentous” decision to return 33 looted artefacts to Cambodia, announced the US Attorney’s Office. The collection includes statues of deities, angels, and demons dating back to the 10th and 12th centuries, originating from the ancient capital of the Khmer kingdom, Koh Ker, and the renowned Angkor Wat temple.
The US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York confirmed that the Lindemann family’s choice to return the artefacts was voluntary. However, lawyers representing the family have not yet responded to requests for comment.
Cambodia’s historical sites endured extensive looting during civil conflicts from the 1960s to the 1990s. The Cambodian government has spent years seeking the repatriation of stolen antiquities, with some believed to be on display in American museums.
In 2021, the United States repatriated 27 smuggled antiquities to Cambodia, including Hindu and Buddhist statues valued at around US$3.8 million. In the previous year, they returned 30 more artefacts, some of which were over 1,000 years old.
Bradley Gordon, an attorney advising Cambodia on repatriations and head of its investigation team, confirmed that the artefacts held by the Lindemann family are expected to be returned later this year. It’s understood that the family paid more than $20 million for these artefacts.
Cambodia’s Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts applauded the Lindemann family’s decision, considering it an exemplary action for other museums and private collectors.
Prime Minister Hun Manet, in a speech to the American Chamber of Commerce before becoming Cambodia’s leader, emphasized the significance of these antiquities as national treasures that define the Khmer identity. He stated, “They are the blood in our veins and the soul in our hearts that forge the identity of being Khmer … our heritages define who we are and who we will be.”
US authorities have dedicated over a decade to locating artefacts from Cambodia and have so far repatriated 65 of them.
In 2019, art dealer Douglas Latchford faced an indictment for wire fraud and other crimes related to the sale of looted Cambodian artefacts. However, the charges were dismissed following his passing.
U.S. Attorney announces return of significant collection of antiquities to Cambodiahttps://t.co/BeL1aU4i5e pic.twitter.com/WXTQcoNcRZ
— US Attorney SDNY (@SDNYnews) September 12, 2023
