US begins returning $10m of antiquities stolen from Italy

Investigation recovers 200 artefacts including statue unwittingly bought by reality TV star Kim Kardashian West

The US is returning 200 antiquities, including an ancient Roman sculpture that almost ended up in the possession of Kim Kardashian West, that were stolen and smuggled out of Italy.

The variety of Roman, Etruscan and Greek artefacts, valued at $10m (7.5m), had been looted since at least the early 1980s before being smuggled out and sold to private collectors, museums or auction houses. Half were found at New York's Fordham Museum of Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Art as part of an investigation led by the Manhattan district attorney, Cyrus Vance.