The reality star says the statue isn't hers. But the difficulty in verifying the provenance of antiquities is a loophole easily exploited by unscrupulous sellers.
Earlier this week, it was reported that Kim Kardashian West was named in a civil suit filed by the U.S. government alleging she was the intended recipient of an illegally imported ancient Roman sculpture.
Federal agents seized the sculpture in 2016 when it entered the U.S. and are now seeking its forfeiture. According to the complaint, officials from Italy have examined the sculpture and stated that it was looted and smuggled from Italian soil.
(A spokesperson for Kardashian West told CNN she "never purchased this piece" and that "this is the first that she has learned of its existence." Kardashian West is not a defendant in the lawsuit, which does not allege any wrongdoing on her part.)
