Prominent New York Philanthropist's STOLEN Artifact Collection Seized: Trustee Of Met Museum Under Scrutiny

The Manhattan District Attorney's Office's special Antiquities Trafficking Unit (ATU) conducted an extensive investigation, leading to the recovery of 89 artifacts from the private collection of 84-year-old Shelby White. White, a trustee for the Met Museum, had even contributed to the institution by having a gallery named after her and her late husband, as reported by the New York Times (NYT).

As part of the repatriation process for the stolen goods, at least 17 of the artifacts that White had loaned to the Met were seized. Over the span of two years, investigators had been searching for and removing a total of 71 looted items from White's residence.

July 20, 2023

In June 2021, investigators arrived at White's home at 6 a.m. with a search warrant to look for antiquities that had been purchased from dealers later accused of trafficking illicit artifacts, according to the NYT. However, investigators have not alleged that White or her late husband were aware that their possessions were stolen.

However, not everyone shares the same belief in White's innocence as the DA's office.

Elizabeth Marlowe, the Director of Museum Studies at Colgate University, expressed skepticism, stating, "There is no way someone at her level of the market and her depth of collecting and her prominence at the Met did not know they should be asking for things like export licenses."

Patty Gerstenblith, a professor at DePaul University College of Law, questioned whether a trustee should be a role model for the museum itself, saying, "Her collecting practices do not fit the model of how a museum should be pursuing knowledge and preserving the historical record," as reported by the NYT.

White's friends and attorney, however, defended her against these criticisms.

In response to the incident, the Met Museum has announced a comprehensive review of its collection to ensure that there are no other looted artifacts in its possession.