‘Priceless’ painting stolen by NJ politician and mobsters returned 55 years later: ‘What a history it’s had"

......They didn’t fugeddaboutit.

A “priceless” painting stolen by a New Jersey politician and Mafia members over 50 years ago has been returned to its owner.

The artwork, which was taken in 1969 with the help of former New Jersey state Sen. Anthony Imperiale and mobsters, was given back to Dr. Francis Wood, 96, of Newark, whose father originally bought the piece, on Jan. 11.

Police said a trio of burglars, all involved in organized crime, tried to break into Francis’ parents’ home in 1969 in an attempt to steal a coin collection, but were thwarted by a burglar alarm.

When cops and Imperiale, then a member of the Newark City Council, responded to the scene, an employee at the house told the council member about the “priceless” painting, titled “The Schoolmistress.”

The work, which depicts a teacher sitting at a table surrounded by students, dates back to 1784 and was created by artist John Opie, whose paintings have sold at auction houses such as Sotheby’s and Christie’s, one for almost $1 million.

Special Agent Gary France, second right,, Dr. Francis Wood and Woods children stand next to the John Opie painting that was stolen from Woods parents' home in 1969 in Newark, N.J. 3
A painting taken in 1969 with the help of a member of the New Jersey Senate and mobsters was given back to Dr. Francis Wood of Newark, whose father bought the piece. AP
A month later, Imperiale, who died in 1999, allegedly ordered the original three burglars — Gerald Festa, Gerald Donnerstag and Austin Costiglione — to retrieve the artwork, which Wood’s father purchased in the 1930s for $7,500, according to the Salt Lake Tribune.

Imperiale’s plan was leaked by Festa six years later, in the 1975 trial of an accomplice.

Festa said Imperiale ordered him, Donnerstag and Costiglione to commit the crime. He also testified that Imperiale — who was elected to the New Jersey Assembly in 1971 and the state senate in 1973 and also ran for mayor of Newark in 1974 —had the painting, but the politician was never charged.

Schoolmistress painting, which depicts a teacher sitting at a table surrounded by young students 3
Artist John Opie painted “The Schoolmistress,” which dates back to 1784 and depicts a teacher sitting at a table surrounded by students. AP
The piece then wound up in St. George, Utah, after a resident bought a house in Florida in 1989 from Joseph Covello Sr. — a mobster linked to the Gambino family — and the painting was included as part of the sale, according to the FBI.

When the man died in 2020, an accounting firm liquidating the property had the painting appraised and it was determined to be the stolen one.

Anthony Imperiale 3
New Jersey State Sen. Anthony Imperiale, who died in 1999, allegedly ordered burglars involved in organized crime to take the artwork for the Woods’ home. ASSOCIATED PRESS
“This piece of art, what a history it’s had,” FBI Special Agent Gary France, who worked on the case, said.

“It traveled all through the UK, when it was first painted, and owned by quite a few families in the UK. And then it travels overseas to the United States and is sold during the Great Depression and then stolen by the mob and recovered by the FBI decades later.

“It’s quite amazing.”

No charges have been filed by the FBI since the painting was discovered, as all of those believed to have been involved in its theft are dead, France said.
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NYPost

Thanks for the info. Another player from the old days who was allegedly involved in the selling of stolen expensive paintings was Detroit's Pete Licavoli. In 1976 Licavoli was arrested for receiving an expensive stolen painting, while offering it to an undercover FBI agent from the art gallery that Licavoli owned.

Yes, indeedy. The thing that got me about this news story was that fact that a former popular New Jersey State Senator, Anthony Imperiale, (who I remember from back in the 1970s era,) was knee-deep in this scheme. In fact, from the information provided, he was actually the architect of it.

Another thing was that he was directly involved with the NJ Mob - specifically the Gambino Family - as clearly evidenced by the fact that a known soldier of theirs, Joseph (Demus) Covello was named as the "receiver" of the stolen painting.

If memory serves me, Covello reported to NJ capo Joe Paterno.

Thanks for additional info bud

Gerald Fest, Gerald Donnerstag (stone-cold killer) along with Frank Basto, Nicky Stefanelli, et al are detailed in the book Marked for Death about Gerald Festa (knows as Chicken Delight as he owned a chicken-focused restaurant).

Yes, Gerald Festa, Stefanelli and Frank (The Bear) Basto I'm also familiar with. Especially Basto.