Current:Home > ScamsFamily sorting through father's Massachusetts attic found looted Japanese art: See photos -ValueCore
Family sorting through father's Massachusetts attic found looted Japanese art: See photos
View
Date:2025-04-15 19:09:23
Family members sorting through the attic of their father's Massachusetts home following his death last year were surprised when they came across what appeared to be a trove of Japanese cultural relics.
Fearing the artifacts did not rightly belong to their late father, the family checked the FBI's publicly-accessible National Stolen Art File, where their fears were confirmed. The collection of "valuable Asian Art" was indeed looted from Japan during the second World War, prompting the family to contact the FBI to ensure the items could be returned to their country of origin, the agency said in a news release.
Among the 22 artifacts the FBI recovered were painted scrolls from the 18th-19th centuries that appear to have been divided into three pieces, a hand-drawn map of Okinawa dating back to the 19th century and various pieces of pottery and ceramics.
While the agency finally oversaw the return of the items to Japan last week, how the collection came into the Massechusetts man's possession remains a mystery: The man was a WWII veteran but did not serve in the Pacific theater, said Geoffrey Kelly of the FBI’s Boston field office.
“When taken together, they really represent a substantial piece of Okinawan history,” said Kelly, the FBI's art crime coordinator. "The family did the right thing."
Here's a look at the items the family found in their father's attic:
Missing student:Riley Strain talked to officer night he vanished, body cam footage shows
FBI returns 22 ancient Japanese artifacts found in Massechusetts man's attic
Several stolen artifacts remain missing
The collection of plundered items are believed to be among important documents and treasures of the Ryukyu Kingdom taken during the World War II Battle of Okinawa. Many of these missing artifacts were registered in 2001 with the FBI's National Stolen Art File and remain lost to this day.
Those with information about these pieces can submit a tip to the FBI at tips.fbi.gov.
“This case highlights the important role the public plays in recognizing and reporting possible stolen art,” FBI special agent Jodi Cohen, who leads the Boston field office, said in a statement. “We’d like to thank the family from Massachusetts who did the right thing in reaching out to us and relinquishing these treasures so we could return them to the people of Japan.”
Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com
veryGood! (69)
Related
- The Super Bowl could end in a 'three
- We're gonna have to live in fear: The fight over medical care for transgender youth
- A veterinarian says pets have a lot to teach us about love and grief
- Teen Mom's Maci Bookout Celebrates Son Bentley's Middle School Graduation
- Brianna LaPaglia Reveals The Meaning Behind Her "Chickenfry" Nickname
- U.S. Spy Satellite Photos Show Himalayan Glacier Melt Accelerating
- Climate Change Fingerprints Were All Over Europe’s Latest Heat Wave, Study Finds
- Michigan man arrested for planning mass killing at synagogue
- Realtor group picks top 10 housing hot spots for 2025: Did your city make the list?
- As Ticks Spread, New Disease Risks Threaten People, Pets and Livestock
Ranking
- Tree trimmer dead after getting caught in wood chipper at Florida town hall
- Vanderpump Rules' James Kennedy Addresses Near-Physical Reunion Fight With Tom Sandoval
- The Coral Reefs You Never Heard of, in the Path of Trump’s Drilling Plan
- Opioids are devastating Cherokee families. The tribe has a $100 million plan to heal
- Which apps offer encrypted messaging? How to switch and what to know after feds’ warning
- 'Back to one meal a day': SNAP benefits drop as food prices climb
- Never-Used Tax Credit Could Jumpstart U.S. Offshore Wind Energy—if Renewed
- Vehicle-to-Grid Charging for Electric Cars Gets Lift from Major U.S. Utility
Recommendation
McConnell absent from Senate on Thursday as he recovers from fall in Capitol
Trump’s Fuel Efficiency Reduction Would Be Largest Anti-Climate Rollback Ever
This safety-net hospital doctor treats mostly uninsured and undocumented patients
Is Teresa Giudice Leaving Real Housewives of New Jersey Over Melissa Gorga Drama? She Says...
Newly elected West Virginia lawmaker arrested and accused of making terroristic threats
A veterinarian says pets have a lot to teach us about love and grief
80-hour weeks and roaches near your cot? More medical residents unionize
Lowe’s, Walgreens Tackle Electric Car Charging Dilemma in the U.S.