tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279887958085077691.post7458259491373135261..comments2024-02-22T10:35:12.485-08:00Comments on Cultural Property Observer: Small Businessman Pleads Guilty to False Statements; Government Ignores Allegations of Misrepresentations to CongressCultural Property Observerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05924359202414555962noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279887958085077691.post-66203010165907946992012-04-19T17:12:08.654-07:002012-04-19T17:12:08.654-07:00Hi Kyri- I agree with you that this does not spea...Hi Kyri- I agree with you that this does not speak well for the antiquities trade, but the punishment should fit the crime, and no one-- including the DOS should be above the law-- what punishment should they get? Certainly, none so far.<br /><br />Also, I still think he fits the general description of a small business. Keep in mind he might not own the stock and that you normally only pay 10% to secure a $250,000 bond.Cultural Property Observerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05924359202414555962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279887958085077691.post-56102950294353506232012-04-19T14:44:08.652-07:002012-04-19T14:44:08.652-07:00hi peter,"a small businessman" is the gu...hi peter,"a small businessman" is the guy that owns the corner store selling items for a buck,not a guy dealing in millions of $ worth of antiquities.<br />hsi agents seized $3.5 million of stock and he posted a bond of $250,000,hardly a small businessman.<br />i agree that a prison sentence will do no good other than to make an example of him and cost the us taxpayer money.he is not a danger to the publc.a heavy fine and a susspended sentence hanging over his head for a long time should be the result but if he is caught smuggling again than prison would be what he deserves.<br />with this case and the recent mallter gallery case,all is not so rosy in the us antiquity garden ,cases like these harm the hobby,its about time we realised there is a problem and try to create a more ethical market before we lose the right to collect alltogether.the scary thing for me in this case,is that they are also going after the collector.<br />kyri.kyrihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12725342826698223232noreply@blogger.com