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A Geneva Bible dating back to 1615 and stolen two decades ago from the Carnegie Library in Pittsburgh as part of a long-standing flight program was found in a Dutch museum, the F.B.I. announced this week.
The Bible was among hundreds of rare books, cards and other items, worth approximately $ 8 million, allegedly stolen by the archivist responsible for the collection for nearly 20 years.
Prosecutors said that the archivist, Gregory Priore, 62, sometimes came out of the building with prominent items. He then sold the works to a prominent bookseller, 55-year-old John Schulman, whose store was a block away and who appeared as an expert in the television show. Antiques Roadshow ", according to an affidavit.
Last year, the two men were charged with numerous counts of robbery, conspiracy and other charges, and are awaiting trial. Robert G. Del Greco Jr., counsel for Mr. Schulman, stated that his client maintained his innocence, but declined to comment otherwise. Mr. Priore 's lawyer did not immediately answer the call on Friday.
FBI. Officials said they had handed the Bible to the Allegheny County Attorney's Office, Stephen A. Zappala Jr., who is pursuing the case and will use the Bible as evidence.
The Bible is similar to the one that would have been brought to North America by pilgrims aboard the Mayflower, said Robert Jones, special agent in charge of F.B.I. in Pittsburgh, at a press conference.
"One can only imagine how far this Bible from the Carnegie Library has come," Jones said.
Last year, investigators discovered a museum dedicated to American pilgrims in the Bible in Leiden, the Netherlands, said museum director Jeremy Bangs.
Mike Manko, a spokesman for the prosecutor, said the museum had bought the Bible in 2015 through a private seller for $ 1,200 and that it was currently valued at 5,500 dollars.
Dr. Bangs, an American historian based in the Netherlands for decades, said he bought the Bible from a reputable vendor for exhibitions scheduled for 2020 and 2021 in Massachusetts, on the books pilgrims owned.
The Bible was translated by Protestant exiles in Geneva during the reign of Queen Marie Tudor, museum site notes. She is also called "Pants Bible" because of her unusual translation in Genesis 3: 7 – "Then, the eyes of both of them opened, and they realized that they were naked. "Declares the site. The King James Bible does not use the word "panties".
An addition to the cover of the book, which, according to Mr. Bangs, was probably made in the 19th century, is entitled "Holy Bible – Breeches Edition".
Mr. Bangs stated that the investigators initially contacted him last year and asked him to return the Bible by mail. Given his delicate state, he asked if the request was real, he said.
After learning more about the Pittsburgh case, Mr. Bangs said he contacted the Dutch police, who instructed an investigator trained in handling works of art to take possession of the Bible and to carry it to the US Embassy. The F.B.I. stated that his own team Art Crime Team had helped bring the Bible back to the United States, covered with bubble wrap and tucked in a protective container.
Mr. Manko said that the investigators were also making progress in the recovery of other works. A first search found 24 articles and 18 "cannibalized" or partial items from a warehouse. Since then, investigators have recovered 18 books and 293 maps, boards and brochures, worth about $ 1.6 million, he said.
Over the years, Mr. Priore was carrying items to the library and depositing them in the store, the affidavit indicates. Mr. Priore sometimes used an X-acto knife to remove part of a book and sell it individually, according to prosecutors. The affidavit indicates that Mr. Schulman paid Mr. Priore in advance, and then resold many of the items.
Mr. Priore stated that he needed the money to "stay afloat" and pay the tuition of his four children, and accused Mr. Schulman of encouraging him, says l & # 39; affidavit.
"I should never have done that," he told investigators. "I loved this piece, all my professional life and greed has invaded."
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