On June 18, 2012, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York filed a federal forfeiture lawsuit that seeks to seize and return to Mongolia a rare dinosaur skeleton.

Dallas-based Heritage Auctions held an auction in New York City on May 20, 2012, which included a restored and mounted Tyrannosaurus bataar skeleton. The day before the auction, Attorney Robert Painter filed a lawsuit in Dallas, on behalf of His Excellency Elbegdorj Tsakhia, president of Mongolia. The Dallas judge signed a temporary restraining order to stop the auction and preserve the status quo while the true ownership of the rare fossil was determined in court.

On June 5, 2012, President Elbegdorj sent a delegation to New York City to inspect the Tyrannosaurus bataar skeleton, with the consent and cooperation of Heritage Auctions and its consignor. The expert paleontologists who inspected the specimen are virtually certain that it originated in Mongolia.

President Elbegdorj stated, “I thank and applaud the United States Attorney’s Office in this action to recover the Tyrannosaurus bataar, an important piece of

the cultural heritage of the Mongolian people. Cultural looting and profiteering cannot be tolerated anywhere and this cooperation between our governments is a large step forward to stopping it.”

Painter Law Firm cooperated with the U.S. Attorney's office by providing Mongolian law and reports from the paleontology experts who recently inspected the fossil in New York City.

Additional Resources

United States of America v. One Tyrannosaurus bataar Skeleton federal complaint

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York press release

Signed arrest warrant in rem