Former curator posts bail in Greece on looted antiquities charges

A former curator of the Los Angeles-based Getty Museum posted bail in Greece on Wednesday on charges of conspiring to buy an ancient funerary wreath that Greek prosecutors say was removed from the country illegally.

Marion True is already on trial in Italy on charges of dealing in looted artifacts.

Greek officials laid charges against her in mid-December, days after the Getty returned the gold wreath and a marble statue to Greece.

True denied all wrongdoing and posted bail of $19,600 US.

Greece began its own investigation of illegal trading in antiquities in the wake of an 18-month investigation by Italy that uncovered a European network of smuggling.

Like Italy, Greece has begun to put pressure on international museums to returnantiquitiesit believes left the country illegally.

Greece charged four other people in mid-December — two Greek men who prosecutors say dug up the wreath from an ancient tomb, a Serb who is said to be a middleman and Swiss-based antiquities dealer Christoph Leon.

Their trial could begin as early as June, a relatively short time that is an indication of the importance Greece attaches to the case.

Investigating magistrate Apostolos Zavitsanos set a modest bail for True, saying her role is relatively minor.

Thebiggest offendersare "those facing the stiffest punishment for looting and selling the golden wreath," Zavitsanos said.

"The wreath's value of over$1 millionUSdetermined the nature of charges brought against Ms. True."

Neither True and nor her Greek lawyer would comment on the proceedings.

'Fully aware of the risks'

However, last month True lashed out at her former employer, the Getty museum, for failing to defend her in its dealings with Greek officials.

In a letter released to Los Angeles newspapers, she said the Getty returned the wreath and statue to Greece without trying to explain the circumstances under which the antiquities were obtained or to defend her innocence.

Her superiors at the Getty Museum were "fully aware of the risks" of buying antiquities and had approved the acquisitions, True said.

She faces up to 10 years in prison on the Greek charges. Her trial in Rome on the Italian charges is still underway.

Greek prosecutors say True advised the Getty against purchasing the wreath when the two Greek men initially tried to sell it directly to the museum.

Four months later, she changed her mind and advised the Getty board to purchase the item when it came up for sale through a Swiss antiquities dealer, prosecutors say.