American lawyer put in possession of stolen Cezanne
ARTinvestment.RU   17 декабря 2008

74-year-old lawyer from Massachusetts was sentenced to seven years in prison for having kept by Paul Cezanne painting stolen

A former lawyer from Massachusetts - 74-year-old Robert Mardirosyan (Robert Mardirosian) - was sentenced to seven years in prison for having kept by stolen in 1978, the painting the artist Paul Cézanne, passes on Wednesday Associated Press.

According to the investigation, the paintings of Cezanne were stolen from a client Mardirosyana house of one Michael Bokuina (Michael Bakwin) in the city Stokbridzh and then transferred to a lawyer. Mardirosyan hoard art until 1988, and then put them in one of the Swiss banks in order to subsequently sell the work at auction in London.

In 1999, the United Press International, referring to The Boston Globe, Mardirosyan agreed to return Bokuinu one of the paintings of Cezanne - Still Life «Jug and Fruit» (Bouilloire et Fruits) - in exchange for recognition of these rights to possession of the remaining six in stolen works of art. Returned Mardirosyanom painting was subsequently sold Bokuinom at Sotheby's auction for 29.3 million dollars. In 2005, Bokuin filed for a lawyer to court to prevent the sale of remaining at that picture, and in 2007, after investigation, Mardirosyan was forced to surrender to authorities.

an old offender, said the publication, is suffering dementia. According to the judges, who led the process, the court took into account this fact, but nevertheless agreed with the gravity of the offense.

Source: lenta.ru

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