Six Georgians jailed for seven years in rare Pushkin book heist
A Paris court on Friday sentenced six Georgian nationals to up to seven years in prison for systematically stealing rare Russian literary classics from prestigious French libraries, including first editions of Aleksandr Pushkin’s works, in a scheme investigators dubbed “Opération Pouchkine.” The defendants, aged between 32 and 58, were convicted of replacing original volumes worth millions of euros with high-quality forgeries over several years, according to multiple French and international outlets .
The thefts targeted institutions such as the Bibliothèque nationale de France and the Mazarine Library, where culprits exploited lapses in security protocols to access restricted collections. Prosecutors presented evidence that the books were intended for resale on the black market, with some possibly destined for repatriation to Russia as part of a broader campaign to reclaim cultural heritage amid escalating geopolitical tensions . Investigators traced the operation to a network operating across France, Belgium, and Georgia, with the accused using forged identification to gain entry to restricted areas.
Sentences ranged from three to seven years, reflecting the scale of the thefts and the sophistication of the deception. The court also ordered the confiscation of assets linked to the operation, including vehicles and electronic devices used in the crimes. Legal representatives for the defendants did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The case has reignited debates in France about the vulnerability of national cultural institutions to transnational crime. Culture Minister Rachida Dati announced an audit of security measures at major libraries, stating that “no collection is immune to determined thieves” . Meanwhile, Russian cultural officials welcomed the verdict, calling it a step toward protecting “shared literary patrimony” amid what they describe as systematic efforts by Western institutions to obscure Russian contributions to world literature.
The investigation, which began in 2023 after discrepancies were detected in catalog records, has so far recovered 14 of the 28 stolen volumes, including a 1837 first edition of Pushkin’s *Boris Godunov*. Authorities believe the remaining items may have already crossed into Russia via intermediaries in Belarus and Kazakhstan.
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Articles
Προς πώληση η έπαυλη της Μεγκ Ράιαν έναντι 15 εκατ.
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