American Novelist and Four Others to Face Trial Over Looted Shipwreck Gold
Five individuals are accused of trafficking gold bars stolen from an 18th-century French shipwreck.
1Trial for Historical Looting
Five individuals, including American novelist Eleanor Gay Courter and her husband Philip, will stand trial in France on May 27, 2027. The group faces charges of conspiracy, money laundering, and receiving stolen goods. The case centers on the alleged resale of gold bars looted from the 18th-century shipwreck Le Prince de Conty.
2Shipwreck Discovery and Plunder
Le Prince de Conty sank off the coast of Brittany in 1746 and was rediscovered in 1974. Following the discovery of gold bullion, the site was looted in 1975. Official archaeological excavations in 1985 recovered Chinese porcelain and three gold ingots before a storm reburied the site, leaving the remaining treasure vulnerable to theft.
3Triggering the Investigation
The current investigation began in 2018 after Michel L'Hour, then-director of DRASSM, identified five gold ingots for sale on a US auction website. He suspected the items originated from the shipwreck. Authorities seized the gold and returned it to France in 2022, leading them directly to the seller, Eleanor Gay Courter.
4Conflicting Claims and Evidence
Annette May Pesty previously claimed on Antiques Roadshow in 1999 that she found the gold near Cape Verde. However, investigators deemed this story implausible. In 2022, underwater photographer Yves Gladu confessed to looting 16 gold bars from the wreck during 40 separate dives conducted between 1976 and 1999, contradicting his earlier denials of involvement.
5Financial Ties and Sales
Investigators discovered that the Courters held at least 23 gold bars and sold 18 of them for nearly $200,000. While the couple claims the proceeds were intended for Gladu, authorities found evidence of a long-standing relationship between the parties, noting they had vacationed together three times since the 1980s, despite Gladu's initial denials.
6Defense Strategy and Arguments
The Courters' lawyer, Grégory Lévy, maintains that the couple was unaware the gold was looted. He argues that they did not profit from the sales and were confused by differing US and French regulations regarding gold ownership. Lévy intends to argue for a full acquittal when the criminal trial begins in Brest.
7Legal Precedents for Artifacts
This case highlights the complex legal landscape surrounding underwater cultural heritage. International laws often protect shipwrecks as state property, making the private sale of recovered items a criminal offense. The trial will test how French courts handle historical looting cases where defendants claim ignorance of local regulations regarding the trade of archaeological finds.
8Implications of the Verdict
The upcoming trial serves as a significant test for the enforcement of maritime archaeological protections. By prosecuting the resale of artifacts decades after the initial looting, French authorities are signaling a commitment to recovering lost cultural heritage. The outcome will likely influence how future suspicious sales of historical artifacts are investigated and prosecuted.