Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles are seeking the forfeiture of an ancient Roman sculpture apparently destined for Kim Kardashian after officials determined it had been illegally smuggled out of Italy, according to court papers obtained Wednesday morning.
The marble and limestone statue resembling the lower half of a person draped in fabric was seized at the Los Angeles/Long Beach Seaport in June 2016 by U.S. Customs and Border Protection after a company linked to Kardashian attempted to import it using the wrong documentation, the civil forfeiture action alleges.
Archaeologists who examined the sculpture concluded the piece was "looted, smuggled and illegally exported" from Italy, and Italian authorities have requested its repatriation, according to the document filed Friday in Los Angeles federal court.
The five-ton work -- valued at nearly $750,000 and addressed to "Kim Kardashian dba Noel Roberts Trust" in Woodland Hills -- is known as Fragment of Myron's Samian Athena (1st - 2nd century, A.D.), the document states.
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Documents in the case do not allege any wrongdoing by Kardashian. Speaking on Kardashian's behalf, a representative told NBC News that "this is the first that she has learned of its existence."
"We believe it may have been purchased using her name without authorization and because it was never received, she was unaware of the transaction. We encourage an investigation and hope that it gets returned to the rightful owners," the representative said.
The piece is currently in the custody of CBP, where it will remain subject to a judge's decision.
