Hobby Lobby has agreed to a $3 million settlement with the Department of Justice after receiving illegally shipped artifacts from Iraq.
David Green, the president of the Christian-owned craft store chain, was planning to feature the artifacts at the Museum of the Bible, currently under construction in Washington, D.C.
The artifacts were transported by a third-party dealer based in the United Arab Emirates. The shipping containers used were falsely labeled “ceramics” and “samples” but instead contained cuneiform tablets and clay bullae. Cuneiform is an ancient writing method similar to those which were used in biblical times.
“The protection of cultural heritage is a mission that Homeland Security Investigations and its partner U.S. Customs and Border Protection take very seriously,“ said Angel Melendez, special agent in charge of the investigation. “While some may put a price on these artifacts, the people of Iraq consider them priceless.”
Green traveled to the United Arab Emirates with a consultant to inspect the pieces in 2010. Later that year, they were advised that materials shipped from the area of acquisition may have been property of the state of Iraq. Despite taking what Hobby Lobby deemed to be necessary precautions, a total of 5,548 elements were seized and deemed private property which, under Iraqi law, cannot leave the state unless given permission by government authorities.
“We should have exercised more oversight and carefully questioned how the acquisitions were handled,” Green said in a statement. A Hobby Lobby spokesman also said that the corporate office is working in full compliance with the Justice department and will be providing frequent reports about future international shipments.
In addition to their correspondence with the Justice Department, Hobby Lobby has pledged to provide training for their employees on customs policy and cultural property.
“In 2009, Hobby Lobby began acquiring a variety of historical Bibles and other artifacts. Developing a collection of historically and religiously important books and artifacts about the Bible is consistent with the company’s mission and passion for the Bible,” Hobby Lobby said in a statement.
The Museum of the Bible is set to open in the fall of 2017.
