Theft of major artwork
Official text prohibited actmental stateif conditionpenaltylegal term
(a) Definitions. In this section—
(1) "museum" means an organized and permanent institution, the activities of which affect , that—
(A) is situated in the United States;
(B) is established for an essentially educational or aesthetic purpose;
(C) has a professional staff; and
(D) owns, utilizes, and cares for tangible objects that are exhibited to the public on a regular schedule.
(2) "object of cultural heritage" means an object that is—
(A) over 100 years old and worth in excess of $5,000; or
(B) worth at least $100,000.
(b) Offenses. A person who—
(1) steals or obtains by fraud from the care, custody, or control of a museum any object of cultural heritage; or
(2) knowing that an object of cultural heritage has been stolen or obtained by fraud, if in fact the object was stolen or obtained from the care, custody, or control of a museum (whether or not that fact is known to the person), receives, conceals, exhibits, or disposes of the object,
shall be , imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both.
History: (Added Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXII, §320902(a), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2123 (PDF, 52 MB); amended Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, §604(b)(18), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3507.)
Simplified explanation
It is a federal crime to steal or get by fraud a valuable cultural object from a museum, or to receive, hide, display, or sell such an object knowing it was stolen. Covered objects are over 100 years old and worth over $5,000, or worth at least $100,000.