A shipment arriving in Florida from the United Arab Emirates was declared to contain two terracotta objects worth less than $200. But when US Customs and Border Protection officers inspected the package, they discovered two ancient Iraqi clay tablets dating back nearly 4,000 to 5,000 years and valued at more than $15,000 combined. Weinberg has now forfeited multiple foreign antiquities and $75,000 to the federal government, according to a November 9 announcement by the US Department of Justice (DOJ).
The discovery triggered a wider investigation into suspicious antiquities shipments linked to Matthew Weinberg of Miramar Beach, Florida.
Investigation uncovers shipments from multiple countries
The investigation began in July 2025, when agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) were alerted by the Customs and Border Protection office in Pensacola about a shipment arriving at Pensacola International Airport from the UAE. The package was destined for Weinberg, and its shipping manifest described its contents as two terracotta objects valued at less than $200. In March 2026, federal agents executed a search and seizure warrant at his home, recovering several additional objects, including ancient Hebrew Torah scrolls, scroll artwork originating from China and Egyptian antiquities dating to approximately 712 BC to 525 BC. It reported that investigators identified approximately 117 international shipments associated with Weinberg’s purchases between September 2024 and March 2026. Around 109 of these reportedly reached their destinations without being intercepted. The report also described a shipment containing a medieval Persian ceramic architectural model, which investigators believed Weinberg had purchased through eBay for approximately $2,000. Its declared shipping value was reportedly just $250. He also surrendered $75,000 in US currency, which prosecutors identified as proceeds of violations of federal anti-smuggling statutes.
The investigation subsequently expanded to Weinberg’s residence in Miramar Beach. A report by The Jewish Chronicle citing court filings and an affidavit, provided further details about the scale of the investigation. Following the investigation, Weinberg forfeited the seized antiquities to the United States for repatriation to their countries of origin. The federal government has additionally barred him from purchasing or selling any foreign antiquities or artefacts for two years.