Florida Antiques Dealer Pleads Guilty to Obstruction for False Invoices During CBP Investigation
A Florida antiques dealer pleaded guilty Dec. 4 to obstruction of justice related to the submission of false invoices to avoid a CBP penalty proceeding for the illegal importation of Chinese art. Francis Lorin and his company Lorin & Son, which does business as Asiantiques, admitted to illegally importing ancient Chinese artifacts without the required permission, then submitting fraudulent invoices to CBP during the ensuing investigation.
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In 2011, Asiantiques exported a shipment of 488 Chinese artifacts to China for a trade show. When the objects were reimported as goods returned after exhibition, CBP noticed 50 extra items in the shipment that weren’t listed on customs documentation. After finding 27 of the unlisted articles were older than 907 A.D., CBP asked for documents showing that their importation was legal. Under a memorandum of understanding between China and the U.S., importation of artifacts that date back before 907 A.D. requires government approval unless the artifacts were already in the U.S. as of Jan. 14, 2009.
Through his lawyer, Lorin provided CBP with documentation in the form of invoices that showed the artifacts had been sold to him before 2009. The problem was the invoices had been fraudulently created to show provenance. All had been created after 2009 and backdated to show a pre-2009 purchase date. Because the invoices were submitted as part of a CBP administrative proceeding to get the artifacts released, the false information constituted obstruction of justice. Lorin now faces a maximum of 20 years in prison. As part of the plea agreement, he agreed to forfeit the illegally imported artifacts and pay a $25,000 fine.
Email ITTNews@warren-news.com for a copy of the plea agreement.