How Kim Kardashian Unknowingly Became Involved in Solving an International Art Crime
Kim Kardashian had no idea she was standing in the middle of an unfolding art-world mystery. What looked like a routine photo op, one of countless moments in her celebrity life, turned out to involve an artifact that had passed through the murky lanes of the global antiquities trade. That single photograph, meant to capture glamour, would later become a key clue in exposing an international smuggling ring.
A Chance Encounter at the Met
At the 2018 Met Gala, Kim Kardashian arrived in a custom gold Atelier Versace gown that shimmered under the lights. The metallic corset and fluid design made her one of the night’s most memorable presences. Later, during a visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, she came across a gilded Egyptian coffin that strikingly resembled her outfit. Finding the similarity amusing, she posed beside it for a photo that soon circulated online.
The photo went viral almost instantly, catching the attention of millions. But among those who saw it were investigators who had spent years tracing the illegal trade of stolen antiquities. The coffin beside Kim wasn’t a replica or prop. It was the coffin of Nedjemankh, an Egyptian priest whose resting place had been plundered during Egypt’s 2011 revolution. Thieves had smuggled the artifact through the United Arab Emirates and Germany, forging export licenses and fake documentation along the way. The Metropolitan Museum had unknowingly paid about $4 million for it!
Once Kim’s photo hit the internet, it reached far beyond entertainment circles. The image resurfaced among those responsible for the original theft, one of whom was apparently displeased with his cut of the profits. The disgruntled participant sent the viral photo to Manhattan’s antiquities-trafficking unit, led by Assistant District Attorney Matthew Bogdanos. That single move gave the case the spark it needed. Within months, investigators confirmed the coffin’s identity, arrested the German dealer Roben Dib, and returned the artifact to Cairo. Kim had done what no specialist could: draw the world’s eyes directly to the evidence.
An Artifact in Transit
You’d think that one art-crime connection would be enough for a lifetime, but Kim’s name had appeared in another case a few years earlier. In 2016, customs officials flagged a shipment of furniture and antiques bound for her Los Angeles home. Inside was a Roman sculpture fragment listed on the paperwork as belonging to Kim Kardashian. The half-statue, known as the Fragment of Myron’s Samian Athena, had been missing the proper export license from Italy. The Italian government later confirmed the sculpture was looted and illegally exported.
The artifact had reportedly passed through Axel Vervoordt’s gallery in Belgium, the same designer responsible for Kim’s minimalist Calabasas home. The gallery maintained that it had acquired the piece legally, tracing its history through several European dealers. However, investigators found inconsistencies in the documentation that suggested otherwise. In 2021, U.S. authorities returned the sculpture to Rome. Kim stated that she had never purchased the piece and did not know it was part of the shipment.
Unintended Consequences of Fame
Image via Wikimedia Commons/FA2010
Two separate events, years apart, both ended with ancient treasures back where they belonged. Kim didn’t plan any of it. Her fame simply amplified the stories that investigators needed the world to see. In one case, her photo exposed the truth about a stolen Egyptian coffin; in another, her name on a customs slip triggered an international inquiry. These coincidences turned a reality-TV superstar into an unlikely figure in global art recovery. It just goes to show that even the most glamorous picture can leave a trail leading straight to history’s hidden crimes.