A man from California has been found guilty of illegally importing an ancient mosaic believed to have been looted from Syria.
Mohamad Yassin Alcharihi, 56, was convicted on Wednesday of bringing “falsely classified goods” into America, the US Attorney's office said.
The mosaic depicts a tale from mythology in which Hercules rescues Prometheus, dating to the Roman Empire. Authorities believe it was looted from war-torn Syria.
Alcharihi bought the mosaic for $12,000 and falsely classified its value and quality when it was imported through the Port of Long Beach, California, prosecutors said.
It arrived as part of a container shipment from Turkey that was declared as ceramic tiles worth less than $600. The mosaic, weighing about 900kg, was transported to Alcharihi's home where federal agents seized it from his garage in 2016.
Alcharihi had paid $40,000 to restore the mosaic and a government appraisal expert valued it at $450,000, the US attorney’s office said.
Alcharihi faces up to two years in prison. A sentencing hearing was scheduled for August 31.
