Federal Agents Seize Ancient Torah Scrolls and Other Antiquities From Florida Home
Matthew Weinberg forfeited ancient artifacts and $75,000 following a federal investigation into antiquities shipments with understated values.
By Amina Howard ·
Federal authorities seized two ancient Torah scrolls, Mesopotamian tablets dating back as much as 4,000 years and other antiquities from the home of a Florida man following an investigation into illegally imported artifacts. Matthew Weinberg, of Miramar Beach, forfeited the objects and $75,000 and was barred from buying or selling foreign antiquities or artifacts for two years.
Agents recovered the Torah scrolls during a lawful search of Weinberg’s home in March. The items seized also included Chinese scroll artwork and ancient Egyptian artifacts. The forfeited objects will be available for future repatriation to their countries of origin after being surrendered to the United States.
According to court documents, the investigation began in July 2025, when US Customs and Border Protection agents alerted the Department of Homeland Security to a suspicious shipment they had detained. The consignment was arriving from the United Arab Emirates through Pensacola International Airport and was addressed to Weinberg. Its manifest described the contents as two terracotta objects worth less than $200.
That discovery prompted authorities to examine several additional shipments intended for Weinberg. Investigators determined that he had illegally obtained antiquities sent from Iran, Egypt and Cyprus, as well as the shipment from the United Arab Emirates. The inquiry therefore extended beyond the initial consignment that customs agents had stopped.
Authorities found that the shipping manifests substantially understated the value of the antiquities, including the tablets from Iraq. Other shipments contained bronze figures, ceramic architectural models and terracotta idols. The investigation identified the same practice of declaring significantly reduced values across the shipments examined by federal authorities.
Import restrictions agreed between the United States and countries including Iraq, Egypt and Cyprus prohibited Weinberg from possessing the artifacts. Alongside surrendering the antiquities, he forfeited $75,000 in US currency as proceeds of violations of federal anti-smuggling statutes. The two-year restriction covers both purchases and sales of any foreign antiquities or artifacts.
John P. Heekin, the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, credited his office’s attorneys with recovering the improperly obtained objects and said they would be returned to their countries of origin. He also thanked federal law enforcement partners for investigating the anti-smuggling violations and helping ensure the artifacts are returned to their rightful owners.
