via ArtNews, 2 November 2022: Subhash Kapoor’s antiquities smuggling ring extended to Southeast Asia.
Subhash Kapoor, a former Manhattan arts dealer described by authorities as one of the world’s most prolific antiquities smugglers, was sentenced to 10 years in prison by a court in Kumbakonam, India, on Tuesday.
Kapoor, 72, faced charges for the burglary and illegal export of idols belonging to the Varadharaja Perumal temple, a Hindu place of worship located outside the southern Indian city of Kanchipuram. These objects then made their way to his Manhattan gallery, Art of the Past.
Officials in the U.S. and India have accused Kapoor of leading a vast smuggling operation which extended across the Middle East and Southeast Asia. According to the New Indian Express, the idols from Varadharaja Perumal were linked to that ring.
Source: Dealer Subhash Kapoor Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison by Indian Court – ARTnews.com