LOS ANGELES – An Antelope Valley man was sentenced to three months in federal prison on Monday for illegally importing an ancient floor mosaic from Syria depicting the Roman demigod Hercules.
Mohamad Yassin Alcharihi, 57, of Palmdale, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge George W. Hu, who also approved the government’s request to permanently seize the mosaic, believed to be nearly 2,000 years old.
Following a five-day trial, a jury in June 2023 found Alcharihi guilty of one count of entry of falsely classified goods.
Federal prosecutors say in August 2015, Alcharihi imported the mosaic—dating from the era of the Roman Empire—by falsely declaring its value and quality. The shipment arrived at the Port of Long Beach from Turkey.
The 15-foot-long, 2,000-pound mosaic illustrates a scene from Greek and Roman mythology of Hercules rescuing Prometheus, “who had been chained to a rock by his fellow gods for stealing fire for humanity,” the U.S. Department of Justice said.
It was hidden inside a large metal shipping container filled with vases and two other mosaics.
According to prosecutors, Alcharihi purchased the mosaic in 2015 but did not disclose to U.S. customs officials that he was importing a valuable Syrian antiquity for which he had paid approximately $12,000, knowing it was worth significantly more.
Instead, prosecutors said Alcharihi misled his customs broker into falsely declaring the item as ceramic tiles valued at less than $600. He later paid $40,000 to restore the mosaic, and a government appraisal expert valued it at $450,000.
The importation occurred months after the United Nations Security Council condemned the destruction of cultural heritage in Syria, particularly by terrorist groups ISIL and Al-Nusrah Front.