32 Papyri Fragments Stolen From the Egyptian
Exploration Society

32 Papyri Fragments Stolen From the Egyptian
Exploration Society

In June 2021, Hobby Lobby sued Oxford scholar Dirk Obbink over $7 million it had paid for the acquisition of 32 ancient papyri fragments excavated at Oxyrhynchus, Egypt.

The museum had acquired the fragments along with other antiquities in batches over several years, court records show:
Purchase #1 - February 6, 2010: Papyri fragments for $80,000
Purchase #2 - February 15, 2011: Papyri fragments and other antiquities for $500,000
Purchase #3 - July 22, 2010: Papyri fragments and other antiquities for $350,000
Purchase #4 - November 20, 2010: Papyri fragments and other antiquities for $2,400,000
Purchase #5 - July 20, 2011: Papyri fragments and other antiquities for $1,345,500
Purchase #6 - March 7, 2012: Papyri fragments and other antiquities for $609,600
Purchase #7 - February 5, 2013: Papyri fragments and other antiquities for $1,810,000

The fragments were later identified as having been stolen by Obbink from the Egyptian Exploration Society, part of Oxford's Sackler Classics Library. This library houses the largest collection of ancient papyri in the world. This collection includes those from the Grenfell and Hunt excavations that took place during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries at the site of Oxyrhynchus, Egypt.

Hobby Lobby alleged that Obbink, "one of the world’s leading scholars of ancient papyri, also acted throughout his career as a private dealer of papyri fragments and other antiquities to the world’s greatest museums and private collectors.”

Public records show Obbink operated a UK company called Castle Folio Limited along with a Michigan man named Mahmoud Elder. According to Castle Folio’s website, the company “help[ed] private collectors of ancient books and manuscripts to identify, preserve and research their holdings. The Castle Folio works with an established network of academics, experts and collectors.” The now-defunct company ceased operations around November 2017, according to UK business filings. The company, which was responsible for both buying and selling antiquities, is listed as a subsidiary of Elder’s investment company, the Elder-Marini Group, on its website.

Elder was separately named as the owner of a collection of stolen EES manuscript fragments that were sold to American collector Andrew Stimer. Elder also operated a London business called Wisla Limited with an Israeli dealer named Alan (Alaa) Baidun, records show. The Hobby Lobby also acquired stolen artifacts from Baidun in a separate case, court records show.

In 2020 Obbink was detained by British authorities on suspicion of theft and fraud but was released after questioning. He left his position at Oxford in 2021. As of 2024, he has not been charged with a crime.

Hobby Lobby returned the stolen fragments to Oxford. In March 2024, an Oklahoma court issued a default judgement against Obbink, awarding the Hobby Lobby $7,085,100 plus interest.

32

Information Artifact – books, seals, plaques, scrolls

Hobby Lobby CEO Steve Green

Museum of the Bible

UK

Damien Huffer

Jason Felch