Egypt: The United States has returned 48 antique objects of Egyptian origin after an investigation was established that the items had been unlawfully removed from Egypt. The Federal Bureau of Investigation formally transferred the artifacts to representatives of the Egyptian government during a ceremony held in Los Angeles on Friday, August 21, 2026.
The collection included sculptures, statues, jewellery, amulets, funerary objects, tomb equipment and ancient inscriptions dating from three major periods of Egyptian history, known as the eras of:
- Pharaonic
- Roman
- Coptic
According to the FBI, investigators determined that all 48 objects were originated in Egypt and that there was no documentation which proves their legal export from the country. The recovery and return of the artifacts form part of ongoing cooperation between the United States and Egypt to protect cultural heritage and combat the illicit trafficking of antiquities.
Assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles office – Patrick Grandy said that the investigation involved assistance from the US State Department, archaeological experts and the FBI’s legal attaché in Cairo.
The United States has restored forty-eight antique objects of Egyptian origin that belong to three distinct historical periods.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation transferred the items to representatives of Egypt at a formal event held in Los Angeles on Friday, 21 August.
The… pic.twitter.com/X95qyO1s7t
— African Hub (@AfricanHub_) August 23, 2026
Authorities further confirmed that every item belonged to Egypt. Grandy also said that the suspected smuggler connected to the artifacts had since died. However, the investigation remains open as law enforcement officials continue to work and identify possible accomplices and locate other objects that may have been illegally obtained.
Egyptian Consul General in Los Angeles – Hossam Ali welcomed the return of the collection and described the artifacts as an essential part of Egypt’s history, cultural heritage and identity. He said that Egypt was pleased to bring the objects home and looked forward to strengthening the constructive bilateral cooperation with the US in the cultural field and beyond.
The FBI has warned that the illicit trafficking of cultural property can provide funding for transnational criminal and terrorist organisations while also undermining the integrity of the art and antiquities market.
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In 2016, the United States and Egypt signed an agreement that allowed US authorities to impose import restrictions on specific categories of Egyptian archaeological and ethnological material. The agreement provides a framework for identifying, seizing and returning illegally trafficked cultural property while supporting the lawful exchange of artifacts for cultural, educational and scientific purposes.
According to the FBI, US law enforcement agencies have returned more than 5,000 archaeological and cultural objects to Egypt over the past decade.