Six years into her law journey, Kim Kardashian has yet to pass the bar exam, which she recently revealed that she failed (via TMZ). Regardless, she is keeping her head held high and has promised to keep going, despite the setback.
She uploaded a story on Instagram, “Six years into this law journey, and I’m still all in until I pass the bar. No shortcuts, no giving up – just more studying and even more determination… I was so close to passing the exam and that only motivates me even more.”
Well, Kardashian may not have passed the bar yet, but she sure helped the authorities figure out a big mystery: The missing coffin of Nedjemankh. Here’s what happened.
The coffin, dating back to the first century BC, was dug up in the Al Minya region of Egypt in 2011. The thieves then proceeded to sell the piece of history to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for a whopping $4 million (via the NY Post).
According to a probe, the tomb was sent to Hassan Fazeli in 2013, an antiquities dealer living in Sharjah, UAE. Then, Fazeli whipped up an export form and mislabeled the artifact as Greco-Roman to cover up its true origins.
It was then sold to Roben Dib, the manager of the Dionysos Gallery in Hamburg, Germany, where he restored the tomb and faked an Egyptian export license, claiming that it was the coffin of Nedjemankh, legally exported in 1971. Eventually, the coffin made its way to the Met.
Fast forward to 2018, Kardashian attended the Met Gala, dressed in a stunning Atelier Versace golden gown, where she posed for a photo with the artifact. The only intention of taking the photo was to match the aesthetics.
What Happened After Kim Kardashian Posted the Photo?
According to The Cut, the photo caught the attention of one of the original thieves who “had been double-crossed by his partners“, and he anonymously sent the photo evidence to the head of the DA’s antiquities-trafficking unit, Matthew Bogdanos.
This photo of Kim Kardashian at the 2018 Met Gala helped Egyptian authorities locate the stolen sarcophagus of Nedjemankh, which is over 2,100 years old. pic.twitter.com/1oPwLu0lM9
It didn’t take long for Bogdanos to recognize the glittering artifact next to Kardashian. Turns out, he was after this very smuggling ring for five whole years.
Investigators confirmed its true identity through a mummified finger bone left in the coffin mistakenly after the thieves had dumped everything else out. Finally, the Met apologised and returned the piece to its rightful owners, Egypt.
Listen to the story in detail on Art Bust: Scandalous Stories of the Art World, a podcast by Ben Lewis.
The Met released a statement on February 15, 2019, stating, “The Museum learned of the looting in recent months and has been fully cooperative with the investigation of the District Attorney’s Office.”
They added, “We extend our apologies to Dr. Khaled El-Enany, Minister of Antiquities, and the people of Egypt, and our appreciation to District Attorney Cy Vance, Jr.’s office for its investigation.”
And that’s how Kim Kardashian helped return an important piece of history to where it belongs.
Kim Kardashian’s Connection to an Ancient Roman Sculpture
This wasn’t the only time Kim Kardashian got wrapped up in such a drama. In June 2016, officials seized an ancient Roman statue at the Los Angeles port, which Italian officials believe was originally looted from Italy.
In 2021, legal documents revealed that it had been “looted, smuggled, and illegally exported“, with the Italian authorities asking for repatriation. As per a civil forfeiture action, a U.S. district court named Kardashian as the consignee and importer of the sculpture (via Artnet News).
Case of the Day: In 2016, a Roman sculpture was seized at port of entry in LA. It's named importer? Kim Kardashian. Falsely declared as furniture and decorations for USD $745,882, most of the shipment was the bottom-half of Myron’s Samian Athena (1/2)https://t.co/PS8dqq7Dus pic.twitter.com/vFfKmw2D97
As per the forfeiture claim, the statue was seized by officials after the broker was unable to provide proper documentation about its origins. It was part of a shipment containing 40 objects whose total value came out to be around $745,882 (via the Guardian).
As for Kardashian, she was not accused of anything, as there were no suggestions that she could be aware of any problems with her purchase. A spokesperson for KimK said, “Kim never purchased this piece and this is the first that she has learned of its existence.”
The coincidence is shocking, don’t you think? Share your thoughts about Kim Kardashian’s contribution in the comments section below!
