FILE
1990: Security guard Paul Daley stands guard at the door of the Dutch
Room of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. Twelve priceless
works of art were stolen from the museum.Reuters
The art, including works by Rembrandt, Vermeer and Manet, was stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in 1990 by two men disguised as city police officers. The missing artwork has vexed the city and there is a $5 million reward.
FBI Special Agent Geoff Kelly, the lead investigator, told MyFoxBoston.com the trail for the missing artwork has not grown cold.
He identified three persons of interest in the Gardner case, all reportedly with ties to organized crime: Carmello Merlino, Robert Guarente, and Robert Gentile. Merlino and Guarente have died. Gentile has denied any knowledge of the missing work, the report said.
Kelly said in the late 1990s, two FBI informants told law enforcement that Merlino was preparing to return Rembrandt's Storm on the Sea of Galilee, in an effort to collect the reward.
However, Merlino and his crew were soon arrested in an aborted armored car heist and the painting was never returned, MyFoxBoston.com reported.
Kelly suspects Guarente somehow passed control of the stolen Gardner artwork to Gentile, the report says
In 2012 Gentile's home and property in Manchester, Conn. were searched, but no sign of the stolen Gardner artwork was located. However, Kelly said authorities recovered police paraphernalia, including "clothing, articles of clothing with police and FBI insignias on it, handcuffs, a scanner, two way radios, and Tasers" and these are not common items.
Gentile, through his lawyer, denied having any connection to the Gardner art heist or with moving the artwork after the fact.
Art Hostage Comments:
The intrigue and stand off prevents the Gardner art being recovered. Ego's prevail and no-one is giving an inch.
Uncle Joe Ligambi, having beat the wrap yet again this January 2014 would organise the recovery of the Gardner art, but as with all previous attempts, there are problems with immunity and the reward offered.
Every time anyone has stepped up and offered help it seems they have ended up being indicted to be used as leverage, which has failed time and time again.
George Borgesi recently said if the immunity deal offered was for real, cast iron and did not require anything other than the Gardner art being recovered, then they could be handed back.
The reward offer of $5 million for the recovery of ALL the Gardner art in GOOD condition is also another problem because the condition was never good from the get-go, as when they were stolen some were cut from their frames and over the years some Gardner art has deteriorated.
From jail David Turner, Stephen and Mark Rossetti & William Merlino have all tried to offer help as part of a proposed deal but failed to agree and to be truthful, perhaps they do not have the ability to order the Gardner art to be handed back, unlike Uncle Joe Ligambi, who retains the ability, if so disposed, to demand the Gardner art be returned. Robert Gentile is no fool and will not put himself or his family at risk by revealing anything about the Gardner case because he has been warned by George Borgesi that Uncle Joe Ligambi has final say.
Mind you, if a deal was worked out and monies were paid, then I am certain the Gardner art, in whatever condition it is, would surface.
Robert Gentile, on pain of death threats to himself and family awaits the go-ahead, from Uncle Joe Ligambi via George Borgesi to offer up, via his lawyer, what he knows on securing the recovery of the Gardner art.
Lurking in the background is the in-fighting between Uncle Joe, Scarfo and Joey etc for control and the Gardner art has become just another piece of potential business.The smokescreen of a mistrial for Anthony Nicodemo has also made the subject of the Gardner art take a back seat.
We must not forget we are only talking about some, I repeat some of the Gardner art, not all is within the gift of Uncle Joe Ligambi or Robert Gentile to surface.
Lets step back and consider the facts.
The much maligned FBI have only been doing their job in trying to recover the Gardner art and make arrests.
The Criminal Underworld have also only been doing their job, trying to extort a ransom for the recovery of the Gardner art.
Twenty Four years have passed and no-one has broken rank on either side that has led to recovery of all the Gardner art.
To be continued...................................................
