Canon Law Scholar Convicted of Theft of Rare Manuscripts

On August 13, 1996, Anthony Melnikas, a retired art history professor from Ohio State, pleaded guilty to charges against him for smuggling and attempted sale of two 14th-century illuminated leaves from a rare manuscript in the Vatican as well as to charges concerning the theft and sale of other manuscripts. The case proves some insight into both the manner in which precious cultural property is stolen and ways in which museums and governments act to prevent and prosecute such crimes ... [more]