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FBI Recovers 17th-Century Golden Urn for Italy
1 May
Summary
- A stolen 17th-century gold-leaf urn was returned to Italy.
- The urn was recovered on February 11 by the FBI Boston.
- An antiques dealer voluntarily returned the artifact to authorities.
A significant 17th-century Catholic artifact, a carved and gold-leaf-covered urn, has been repatriated to Italy. The urn was stolen from the Church of San Michele Arcangelo di Cangiano between August 2012 and August 2022. This recovery is believed to be part of a larger effort to retrieve 17 stolen ecclesiastical artifacts.
The FBI's Boston division became involved in the fall of 2025, at the request of the Italian Ministry of Culture. The urn was located on February 11 from an antiques dealer in the northeastern U.S. This dealer had acquired the artifact from an Italian antiques dealer. Fortunately, the U.S.-based dealer cooperated fully and voluntarily surrendered the urn.
Following its recovery, the FBI facilitated the urn's journey back to Italy. A formal repatriation ceremony was held on April 30, celebrating the successful return of this culturally and religiously significant item. Special Agent in Charge Ted E. Docks highlighted the emotional and cultural importance of such recoveries, noting the urn's role as a tangible link to past generations' religious devotion.
