The Medici Conspiracy (56 page)
Read The Medici Conspiracy Online
Authors: Peter Watson
In another self-confidentâeven audaciousâmove, but one that characterized himself as an honest man, Medici challenged Ferri to prove that even one object in the Freeport came from a tombarolo. “I challenge,
meaning it in a good sense, I challenge the prosecution to prove that one . . . not three thousand, one object which, in inverted commas, comes from a tombarolo. . . . Because if I, I repeat, did wrong, if I . . . if it were to be proved from the documents of the trial that I did wrong, I must pay. Because it is right, because there are laws. . . .”
meaning it in a good sense, I challenge the prosecution to prove that one . . . not three thousand, one object which, in inverted commas, comes from a tombarolo. . . . Because if I, I repeat, did wrong, if I . . . if it were to be proved from the documents of the trial that I did wrong, I must pay. Because it is right, because there are laws. . . .”
His response to the charge that he had been laundering objects through Sotheby's was equally forthright. “If Dr. Ferri finds one single object of those seized put there [i.e., sold at Sotheby's and bought back] by Medici Giacomo or Editions Services, you, Your Honour, must condemn me without attenuating circumstances, you must condemn me severely.... No, no, it's I who ask.”
In essence, Medici characterized himself as an innocent consultant, albeit one with an unusually large photo collection. The real villains, he said, were elsewhere. Though his testimony was vivid, strong on rhetoric and expressed in a forthright manner, it was not overly rich on detail. At the end of it all, Medici ringingly declared: “I don't consider myself guilty of anything.”
Judge Muntoni took five months to reveal his considered reaction to Medici's performance. He began in a fairly uncompromising way.
As can be seen, even in the course of his long spontaneous declarations made during the hearing, Medici never stopped lying and in fact accentuated the distortion of reality, so as to depict himself as an innocent subjected to persecution by the Italian Judiciary, by the Swiss Judiciary, by the Police forces of the two countries, and by his own “work” milieu. What strikes one most in this long series of lies, is that they were told in spite of the fact that Medici knew very well that the documentation and the photographic archive which had been seized from him were part of the documents of the case and objectively give him the lie and cannot be confuted. Medici even reached the point of several times invoking an exemplary sentence against himself if even only one single archaeological object was proved to have been recycled.... Very well, the objects that beyond doubt were recycled, as will be highlighted in the specific
paragraph, are dozens . . . Arts Franc bought all the objects at the above-mentioned auction following the indications given by Medici, at the price indicated by Medici and with the money furnished by Medici, and [were] delivered to Medici . . . for years numerous goods were sold through auctions by Medici so as to be repurchased by himself, so much so that they were found in his possession.
paragraph, are dozens . . . Arts Franc bought all the objects at the above-mentioned auction following the indications given by Medici, at the price indicated by Medici and with the money furnished by Medici, and [were] delivered to Medici . . . for years numerous goods were sold through auctions by Medici so as to be repurchased by himself, so much so that they were found in his possession.
The judge found that 99 percent of the objects featuring in the case had no provenance.
Muntoni accepted that “innumerable objects” were sold by Medici to individual persons and to museums “by means of triangulations through Hecht, Symes-Michaelides, Bürki and others, as written by Medici himself at the bottom of Polaroids, which depict objects sold.” The judge said Medici had no convincing explanation as to how, having been born into a poor family, he could open a “prestigious gallery” in the center of Rome, in the fashionable Via del Babuino, only to then transfer to Switzerland “where he could work more freely.”
Nor does he explain why it was easier to trade in Switzerland through a gallery opened in Geneva, if he did not intend to trade in archaeological objects coming from thefts and clandestine digs carried out in Italy.
The purchase of archaeological material just excavated in Italy is documented by dozens and dozens of Polaroids and “scandalous” photographs which frequently show the actual stages of the digs . . . we point out that two chequered urns, clearly freshly excavated, were photographed in Medici's house in Santa Marinella. . . . The collection of
buccheri
and Villanovan objects destined to be donated to the state clashes with the fact that Medici has never donated these objects, neither before nor after their seizure, and that Medici sold . . . large quantities both of
buccheri
as well as Villanovan objects at auctions. Whilst the fact remains that Medici has in no way documented where he purchases these goods, his [declared] wish to collect them so as to donate them to the State is the umpteenth [“
ennesima”
] shameless lie.
buccheri
and Villanovan objects destined to be donated to the state clashes with the fact that Medici has never donated these objects, neither before nor after their seizure, and that Medici sold . . . large quantities both of
buccheri
as well as Villanovan objects at auctions. Whilst the fact remains that Medici has in no way documented where he purchases these goods, his [declared] wish to collect them so as to donate them to the State is the umpteenth [“
ennesima”
] shameless lie.
Muntoni was not taken in by Medici's claim that the Polaroids concerned objects shown to him so as to ascertain their authenticity, or value,
or sent to him for restoration. The judge pointed out that among the vast documentation there was not a single piece of paper or letter from a prospective client requesting such assistance, expertise, or advice.
or sent to him for restoration. The judge pointed out that among the vast documentation there was not a single piece of paper or letter from a prospective client requesting such assistance, expertise, or advice.
No invoice has ever been made out by Medici for evaluation or restoration, yet one notices the meticulous way in which the documentation is kept with regard to his activity, from which one learns that Medici made out invoices only to the Aboutaams, through whom he used to sell his own archaeological objects. What's more, the Polaroids and photographs were not found, with the exception of very few cases, loose [or singly], but on the contrary, [they were found] well archived in specific albums which document the arrival of the goods, their condition, their initial collocation [arrangement], their temporary importation into Switzerland. . . . Medici evidently has forgotten that the catalogues titled “
Oggetti Passati”
[passed objects] contain Polaroids and photos of objects on which is marked the destination: V.CRI, V.SOTH, P.G.M., COLL, [“v.” stands for
venduto,
or sold]âthat is, sold through Christo Michaelides, always indicated as CRI or CR, through Bob Hecht, always indicated as BO, through Sotheby's, and sold to the Paul Getty Museum, or part of the Medici “collection.”
Oggetti Passati”
[passed objects] contain Polaroids and photos of objects on which is marked the destination: V.CRI, V.SOTH, P.G.M., COLL, [“v.” stands for
venduto,
or sold]âthat is, sold through Christo Michaelides, always indicated as CRI or CR, through Bob Hecht, always indicated as BO, through Sotheby's, and sold to the Paul Getty Museum, or part of the Medici “collection.”
In other words, Medici's main activity was selling, not collecting.
Muntoni himself examined the documentation that had been seized and concluded that Medici had made meticulous and “absolutely exact” records of the goods he had sold and the prices they had achieved.
It is therefore objectively proven beyond doubt that the photographic archive and the Polaroids in particular only depict objects bought and traded by Medici, who for this reason had archived the photographic documents in specific catalogues, divided into kinds of objects, their destinations.... The sensational falsity of Medici's statements on this point shows how well aware he is of the fact that there can be no licit justification to explain his having kept the photographic archive and he preferred denying even the evidence, in the hope perhaps that the documents seized had not been examined. In fact, it is precisely anger against those who have shown careful and intelligent examination of the seized
documents, like Maurizio Pellegrini of the Southern Etruria Superintendency, that must have made Medici throw accusations as false as they are gratuitous.
documents, like Maurizio Pellegrini of the Southern Etruria Superintendency, that must have made Medici throw accusations as false as they are gratuitous.
To summarize the judge's 659-page verdict, Muntoni didn't accept Medici's arguments on any level. He thought Medici had lied about his relationships with Robert Hecht, Marion True, and Christian Boursaud. How could Medici have bought the Hydra Gallery from Boursaud when the two men had fought a court battle in Switzerland in 1985 over ownership of the gallery?
He found Cottier-Angeli to be part of the cordata and found that only 2â3 percent of the goods seized were of non-Italian origin. (The report of the three archaeological experts confirmed this.) He did not agree with Medici that the goods the dealer sold at Sotheby's were minor artifacts. And he did not accept for a moment that Medici was an expert. On the contrary, Muntoni noted that Medici far more often turned to others for expertise. He added: “Some doubts concerning Medici's capacity to recognize an authentic objectâand not only to establish its period and the
maestri
to whom it is attributableânecessarily occur, considering the number of fakes found in his possession, some of which [were] bought at public auctionâunless one wishes to maintain that Medici was such a dishonest dealer as to offer fakes which he had deliberately obtained.”
maestri
to whom it is attributableânecessarily occur, considering the number of fakes found in his possession, some of which [were] bought at public auctionâunless one wishes to maintain that Medici was such a dishonest dealer as to offer fakes which he had deliberately obtained.”
Muntoni's judgment was withering.
He also had various comments and conclusions about the testimony of others in the case.
On Robert Hecht: Muntoni concluded that Hecht was “one of the founders of the conspiracy that was the subject of this trial,” that he is “the soul and director
(anima e regista)
of almost all the operations.”
(anima e regista)
of almost all the operations.”
The extraordinary and adventurous human story of Hecht is well recounted in the memorandum which he himself wrote . . . a document in which his ventures are never exalted, in fact we must perhaps think that they contain some disinterested omissions so as to avoid problems for his family after his death. We are obviously referring to the first draft
of the memorandum and not to the sweetened [“
edulcorata”
] version, also found in his house, which contains blatant [“
evidenti
”] corrections aimed at avoiding possible demands for reimbursement from Museums which had, at very expensive prices, purchased objects such as the Euphronios krater, about which Hecht in the first draft tells the true storyâalso reconstructible through other sources of evidence . . . we deduce that Hecht, together with Medici and Bürki and individuals to be identified, founded the criminal conspiracy [“
associazione per delinquere
”] between the end of the sixties and the very early seventies, the aim of which was to intercept all the important material clandestinely excavated in Etruria and most of that excavated in Puglia, thanks to a tight network [“
fitta rete
”] of relationships that Hecht personally had with individuals in positions of responsibility in many museums....
of the memorandum and not to the sweetened [“
edulcorata”
] version, also found in his house, which contains blatant [“
evidenti
”] corrections aimed at avoiding possible demands for reimbursement from Museums which had, at very expensive prices, purchased objects such as the Euphronios krater, about which Hecht in the first draft tells the true storyâalso reconstructible through other sources of evidence . . . we deduce that Hecht, together with Medici and Bürki and individuals to be identified, founded the criminal conspiracy [“
associazione per delinquere
”] between the end of the sixties and the very early seventies, the aim of which was to intercept all the important material clandestinely excavated in Etruria and most of that excavated in Puglia, thanks to a tight network [“
fitta rete
”] of relationships that Hecht personally had with individuals in positions of responsibility in many museums....
On Danilo Zicchi: The judge found that all the addresses and names mentioned by Zicchi in relation to the organigram were confirmed by later investigation.
On Fritz Bürki: The judge concluded that Bürki had lied “shamelessly” about events concerning the Tripod, “adapting his version to that invented by Hecht and Rosen” (Jonathan Rosen, Hecht's partner in Atlantis Antiquities in New York). But the judge went on to “underline” the fact that Bürki had acknowledged that the archaeological objects submitted to him came from illicit digs carried out in Italy and that he was “absolutely aware of it.” In regard to the Tripod, the judge concluded that Bürki had substituted Medici's name with that of Bruno.
On Harry Bürki: The judge noted, in particular and inter alia, that Harry Bürki admitted having seen the photographs of the frescoes taken in Pompeii by the tombaroli, that he could not explain the presence of a bag dirty with soil and which had a double [fake] bottom. He concluded:
Only when faced with the undeniable evidence of the proof, the two Bürkis, father and son, admitted [to] having acted as [a] “front” for Robert Hecht in the sale of objects to the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. Instead they continued to deny knowing Medici even when faced with the evidence. For them, too, therefore, dealings with him were not to be spoken of and were considered compromising: [a] denial which is in contrast with the presence of their respective names and addresses in
the agendas [address books] of Bürki and Medici, [in contrast] with the restoration work done by Bürki on innumerable archaeological objects then sold by Medici, [in contrast] with the unmistakable contents of the photos seized from Medici which show objects photographed in Bürki's premises as was challenged, and [in contrast] with an association which continued for years. Proud of being citizens of a “neutral” country with respect to the one in which the clandestine digs had taken place, they shamelessly admitted that the objects they restored came from clandestine digs in Italy and even admitted having seen the photographs of the dig of the Pompeii frescoes.
the agendas [address books] of Bürki and Medici, [in contrast] with the restoration work done by Bürki on innumerable archaeological objects then sold by Medici, [in contrast] with the unmistakable contents of the photos seized from Medici which show objects photographed in Bürki's premises as was challenged, and [in contrast] with an association which continued for years. Proud of being citizens of a “neutral” country with respect to the one in which the clandestine digs had taken place, they shamelessly admitted that the objects they restored came from clandestine digs in Italy and even admitted having seen the photographs of the dig of the Pompeii frescoes.
On Pietro Casasanta: From his evidence the judge found it confirmed that there were competitive groups of cordate, trying to send the best objects out of Italy, and that these groups were led respectively by Nino Savoca, Gianfranco Becchina, and Medici; that “absolutely everybody in the milieu of the traffickers in archaeological material knew that Giacomo Medici was the real âboss' who managed to intercept almost all the material excavated in Etruria,” that it was well known that Hecht and Medici were partners since the sixties, that the cordate reported their rivals to the authorities whenever their interests were threatened, that Medici and Becchina had become billionaires (in Italian lire) “from nothing,” that archaeological material was smuggled out of Italy thanks to “complacent shippers,” that Mario Bruno was a rival of Medici's and that relations between them were very bad. Medici, concluded Muntoni, was with Hecht the “principal collector” in Italy of archaeological material coming from clandestine digs carried out in Southern Etruria and Puglia.
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