Powassan man charged after theft of famed painting

A 1941 portrait of British prime minister Sir Winston Churchill, stolen during the pandemic, has been found. Ottawa Police say the photo by Canadian photographer Yousuf Karsh has been located in Italy. It was originally stolen from Ottawa's Fairmont Chateau Laurier hotel in August of 2022.

A 43-year-old man from Powassan, whose name is under a publication ban, was arrested in April and appeared in Ottawa court the next day charged with theft, forgery, trafficking in stolen property and more. Police say the photo was stolen and replaced by a fake which hung in its place for months.

Officials say both the buyer and the London auction house they bought it from were unaware it was stolen and are not suspects. The portrait nicknamed "the Roaring Lion” is one of the most well-known in the world and will be handed over to the Canadian government at a ceremony in Rome later this month.

The post Powassan man charged after theft of famed painting appeared first on My North Bay Now.