On February 7, Nicholas Dombek, 54, of Thornhurst; Damien Boland, 48, of Moscow; and Joseph Atsus, 48, of Roaring Brook, were convicted for their involvement in a massive, 20-year-long conspiracy to break into multiple museums and steal valuable works of art, sports memorabilia, and historical objects. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania made the announcement following their conviction.
The three men were part of a larger group of nine individuals who engaged in stealing a variety of priceless items over the course of two decades. Among the stolen objects were:
A Christy Mathewson jersey and two contracts signed by the baseball legend, stolen in 1999 from Keystone College in Factoryville, Pennsylvania.
Two famous pieces of artwork: Le Grande Passion by Andy Warhol and Springs Winter by Jackson Pollock, taken from the Everhart Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania, in 2005.
Ten World Series rings, seven other championship rings, and two MVP plaques belonging to baseball legend Yogi Berra, valued at over $1 million, which were stolen from the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center in Little Falls, New Jersey, in 2014.
Six championship belts, including four belonging to boxing icon Carmen Basilio and two belonging to Tony Zale, stolen in 2015 from the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York.
The Hickok Belt and MVP trophy awarded to Roger Maris, which were taken from the Roger Maris Museum in Fargo, North Dakota, in 2016.
A U.S. Amateur Trophy and a Hickok Belt awarded to golf legend Ben Hogan, stolen from the USGA Golf Museum & Library in 2012.
Fourteen trophies and awards worth over $300,000, stolen in 2012 from the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame in Goshen, New York.
Five trophies, including the historic 1903 Belmont Stakes Trophy, stolen in 2013 from the National Racing Museum & Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, New York.
Eleven trophies, including four belonging to Art Wall Jr., taken in 2011 from the Scranton Country Club in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania.
Three antique firearms, worth a combined $1 million, stolen from Space Farms Zoo & Museum in Wantage, New Jersey, in 2006.
A 1903-04 Tiffany lamp, stolen in 2010 from the Lackawanna Historical Society in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
These stolen items, worth millions of dollars, were sold on the black market or kept in private collections.
The defendants now face a maximum sentence of five years in prison for their conspiracy conviction, with additional penalties of up to 10 years for each individual theft. The U.S. Attorney’s Office emphasized that this case serves as a reminder of the serious consequences for those who steal priceless cultural artifacts and sports memorabilia.
