Inheritance from Antiquities Smuggling

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According to the Washington Post, U.S. authorities announced that they have secured a $12 million forfeiture agreement from the daughter of accused antiquities smuggler Douglas Latchford, a man federal prosecutors say was a key figure in the decades-long ransacking of ancient Cambodian temples.

Questions:

  1. Why didn’t U.S. authorities get the smuggled antiquities from Douglas Latchford, rather than his heir?
  2. How did U.S. authorities find out about the millions Latchford received for the stolen goods?
  3. What signal does this seizure signal, according to the article?
  4. Can Latchford’s daughter record this as a deduction on her taxes? Why or why not?
  5. Will Latchford’s daughter have to pay taxes on this inheritance?

Source:

Whoriskey, P. (2023). Heir of accused antiquities smuggler agrees to forfeit $12 million. The Washington Post, June 22 (Retrievable online at https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/06/22/cambodia-antiquities-forfeiture-latchford/)