Antiquities dealer who exposed thefts at British Museum dies aged 61
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- Ittai Gradel bought dozens of British Museum artefacts on eBay and alerted the museum and police, sparking a probe into the theft of roughly 2,000 items.
- British Museum announced that 2,000 classical gems and gold jewellery were missing, stolen or damaged, and later awarded Gradel a rare medal for his “very significant contribution”.
- Peter Higgs was named by Gradel as a suspected senior curator involved in the sales, but Higgs denied any wrongdoing and was dismissed after 30 years at the museum.
- Nicholas Cullinan wrote a personal note to Gradel before his death, calling the medal a “sign of our esteem” and acknowledging his determination to right wrongs.
- Scotland Yard continues its investigation more than three years after the museum’s initial report, with Gradel’s testimony now lost to his passing.
Why it matters: The British Museum loses public trust and faces potential restitution costs for the 2,000 missing artefacts, while the scandal forces tighter provenance checks that will increase compliance expenses across the sector.
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