Mongolian government to Nicolas Cage: Give back that $276,000 dinosaur skull

Nicolas Cage
(Image credit: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

Back in 2007, actor Nicolas Cage reportedly outbid Leonardo DiCaprio at Beverly Hills' I.M. Chait Gallery to take home a Tyrannosaurus bataar skull for $276,000. After years of enjoying the luxury of having a rare dinosaur skull in his possession, however, Cage is now being asked to give it back.

The skull, the Department of Homeland Security says, was illegally smuggled from Mongolia. U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara has issued a civil forfeiture complaint asking for the skull's return to the country, and Cage has agreed to comply.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
Explore More