Looted Ancient Artifacts Discovered in Chicago

Chicago area police are reporting the discovery of nearly 3,500 ancient artifacts in a Chicago area home. The suspect, John Sisto passed away in March of 2007, but there has been two year investigation into the artifacts. Of the 3,500 artifacts, around 1,600 have been deemed stolen from Italy, the balance, where ownership can not be traced have been returned to the Sisto family. No criminal charges are planned against remaining family members.

Chicago Breaking News reports The secret collection John Sisto kept in his Berwyn bungalow had letters written by kings, Vatican documents penned by Catholic popes and even a handwritten book preface by Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.

In all, federal officials found an astounding treasure-trove of about 3,500 ancient artifacts, religious relics, rare manuscripts and other historic items after Sisto's death in March 2007.

Federal officials said Monday that the results of a two-year investigation determined that 1,600 of those items were stolen from Italy and shipped to the U.S. to be sold. The items, with an estimated value of $5 million and $10 million, will be returned to Italy later this week, according to FBI spokesman Ross Rice.

The ownership of the remaining 2,000 items could not be verified, so they were being returned to the Sisto family.

Although the items were removed from Italy in violation of its cultural property laws, Rice said there would be no U.S. criminal prosecutions in connection with theft, transportation or possession of stolen artifacts.

Sisto's son Joseph said he was aware of his father's large collection of artifacts when he was growing up. John Sisto's father, Giuseppe, would travel Europe and buy the items in estate sales, then ship them overseas in "hundreds of crates" for his son to sell.

But Joseph Sisto said his father became attached to the items and kept them in his home rather than turn the collection for a profit.

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