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Former art dealer pleads guilty in art thefts

The Columbian
Published: November 19, 2010, 12:00am

SEATTLE (AP) — A disgraced former Seattle gallery owner has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges in an art theft scheme.

The U.S. attorney’s office says Kurt Lidtke worked with a burglar he met in prison, hatching a plan to steal expensive art from Seattle homes and resell it.

Prosecutors say Lidtke came up with the plan while he was imprisoned for selling paintings on consignment to his gallery without paying the owners.

Lidtke pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiracy to transport stolen property in interstate commerce and interstate transportation of stolen property. He was arrested last May in Bozeman, Mont.

He faces a maximum five years on the conspiracy count and 10 years on the transportation charge at sentencing Feb. 11.

A former cellmate and that man’s wife were also arrested. The woman has pleaded guilty to interstate transportation of stolen goods. A plea hearing for the man is scheduled Friday.

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