A man from Palmdale, California, has been sentenced to three months in federal prison for illegally importing a 2,000-pound ancient mosaic depicting the Roman god Hercules from the era of the Roman Empire. Yassin Alcharihi, 57, used fraudulent documents to avoid import duties.
U.S. District Judge George W. Hu sentenced Alcharihi and granted the government’s request for a preliminary order of forfeiture for the mosaic. Alcharihi was found guilty of one count of entry of falsely classified goods after a five-day trial in June 2023.
Prosecutors revealed that the relic, looted from Syria and smuggled through Turkey, is 18 feet long, 8 feet tall, and weighs 1 ton. It features Hercules and other figures from Roman mythology.
Alcharihi illegally imported the mosaic, dating back to the 3rd or 4th century, by falsely classifying its value and quality. The mosaic arrived at the Port of Long Beach in a shipment from Turkey.
Alcharihi’s deputy federal public defender was not available for immediate comment.
Related Stories
During the trial, the jury visited a secure area in the basement of the Los Angeles federal courthouse to view the antiquity.
In 2015, Alcharihi purchased the mosaic and falsely declared it as ceramic tiles from Turkey valued at less than $600 to customs officials. The mosaic, which he paid $12,000 for, was later valued by the government’s appraisal expert at $450,000. These false classifications took place after a UN Security Council resolution condemning the destruction of cultural heritage in Syria.
The mosaic was hidden in a shipping container with vases and other mosaics, away from the rear access doors. It was later shipped to Alcharihi’s home after passing through customs.
Since federal agents seized it from Alcharihi’s garage seven years ago, the mosaic has been stored at a secure facility in Los Angeles. A government spokesperson mentioned the possibility of repatriating the mosaic to Syria.
