Update: Drouot Arrests

The NY Times is reporting preliminary charges have been filed against 9 people connecting with the Drouot Hotel auction establishment. The initial charges stem from a stolen work by Courbet, valued at $1.3 million and found at the home of one of the auctions commission agents.  I first posted about the Drouot situation on December 6th, click HERE to read that post.  Three of the original 12 arrested have been released according tot he NY Times article.

The NY Times states

Police initially identified the recovered Courbet work as ''La Vague'' (The Wave), worth euro900,000 ($1.3 million), but officials said Monday it was actually ''Paysage marin sous un ciel d'orage'' (Marine Landscape Under a Stormy Sky), worth about euro100,000.

The stolen Courbet -- one of several paintings by the convention-smashing realist master with a stormy ocean theme -- was found at the home of one of the commission agents being investigated. Other pieces recovered in the sweep included artworks, frames and furniture.

Under French law, preliminary charges give the judge more time to investigate and determine whether to send the case to trial. Three commission agents were jailed in the case, with the prosecutor's office accusing them of deep involvement in thefts dating back to 2001.

The auctioneer was released pending the investigation with the stipulation that he stop hosting sales.

Click HERE to read the full NY Times article.