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Curator and husband looted Hermitage museum

The husband of a late curator of the State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg was convicted yesterday of the theft of art objects and sentenced to five years in prison.

Nikolai Zavadsky was also ordered to pay 7.3 million roubles (£144,450) in compensation.

The museum announced last July that 221 pieces including jewellery, religious icons, silverware and enamelled objects worth about £2.4m had been stolen.

Zavadsky's wife, Larisa, died suddenly during an inventory last year and Zavadsky confessed they were involved in the thefts.

Police so far have recovered more than 30 items.
Read entire article at AP