A Miramar Beach man has forfeited a collection of foreign antiquities and $75,000 to the U.S. government following a federal investigation into violations of anti-smuggling laws. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, the forfeited items, which include artifacts from Iraq, Egypt, and Cyprus, will be repatriated to their countries of origin.
The investigation began in July 2025 when U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents in Pensacola detained a shipment from the United Arab Emirates destined for Matthew Weinberg. Court documents state the shipment’s manifest declared two terracotta objects valued at less than $200. An appraisal reportedly revealed the contents to be two cuneiform tablets from modern-day Iraq, dating between 3000-2000 BC and valued at over $15,000.
Federal officials claim further investigation uncovered a pattern of significantly undervalued shipments to Weinberg from countries including Iran, Egypt, and Cyprus. In March 2026, agents executed a search warrant at Weinberg’s Miramar Beach residence. Items seized from the home reportedly included ancient Hebrew Torah scrolls, Chinese scroll artwork, and artifacts from Egypt.
In addition to forfeiting the artifacts and $75,000, which the government identified as proceeds from the violations, Weinberg will be barred for two years from purchasing or selling any foreign antiquities. The government stated that the possession of these items was prohibited due to import restrictions agreed upon by the United States and the artifacts’ countries of origin.
