A federal judge has turned down an extradition request from Poland for a Russian art dealer living in New York.
The judge on Monday rejected the request to extradite Alexander Khochinskiy. He faces charges in Poland accusing him of refusing to turn over an 18th-century painting taken from a Polish museum by the Nazis during World War II.
The art dealer was arrested at his Manhattan apartment in February at the request of Polish authorities. They say he has refused to turn over “Girl with a Dove,” a 1754 oil painting by Antoine Pesne.
The art dealer says his father came home from the war with the painting. He says he inherited it when his father died and he’s the rightful owner.
(AP)
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One Response
Why is this criminal? All the other cases of third parties (persons who bought or stole art from the Nazis, that the Nazis had previously stolen) are civil. I doubt the US will extradict over a property dispute.