Fraudulent portrait of Sir Winston Churchill
Later this month, two Ottawa Police Service investigators will be in Rome, Italy, to retrieve a Yousef Karsh portrait of Sir Winston Churchill, which was stolen from the Fairmont Château Laurier in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
The Roaring Lion portrait was reported stolen in August 2022. The investigation revealed that the portrait had been taken between December 25, 2021, and January 6, 2022.
It was determined that the portrait was sold through an auction house in London to a buyer in Italy, both of whom were unaware that the piece was stolen.
With the help of public tips, forensic analysis, and international cooperation, investigators tracked down the individual responsible for the theft. Additionally, open-source research and collaboration with other agencies were key in identifying the suspect.
With the assistance of international law enforcement agencies, Ottawa Police investigators identified and charged a 43-year-old man from Powassan, Ontario, for the theft and trafficking of The Roaring Lion portrait. His name is protected by a publication ban.
The man was arrested on April 25, 2024, and charged with:
CCC 366(1)(a) Forgery
CCC 334(a) Theft Over $5000
CCC 430(3) Mischief/ Damage Property/ Exceeding $5000
CCC 354(1) Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000
CCC 355.2 Traffic in Property or Thing Obtained by Crime/ Exceeding $5000
CCC 355.4 Possess Property or Thing Obtained by Crime for Trafficking/ Exceeding $5000
He appeared in an Ottawa court the following day.
The Ottawa Police Service has been working closely with the Carabinieri and the portrait’s purchaser, a private citizen from Genoa, Italy, to ensure its safe return to Canada.
With the assistance of the Carabinieri, arrangements have been made with the citizen to ceremoniously hand over the portrait to the Ottawa Police Service in Rome later this month.
Once in Ottawa Police custody, the portrait will be ready for the last step of its journey home to the Fairmont Château Laurier, where it will once again be displayed as a notable historic portrait.
The Ottawa Police Service would like to express its deepest gratitude to the public and partner agencies for their assistance with this file. The extensive investigation would not have been possible without their cooperation and assistance.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
