Leonardo DiCaprio to Return Donated Picasso Painting
Leonardo DiCaprio is in the process of returning millions of dollars-worth of artworks donated to his foundation as the U.S. Department of Justice seeks to recover the assets of the donor of the said art pieces due to embezzlement complaints.
According to reports, DiCaprio received Pablo Picasso's painting "Nature Morte au Crane de Taureau" and a Jean-Michel Basquiat collage from a Malaysian financier who is currently under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice for embezzlement. Currently, the department is in the process of recovering $540 million worth of assets, including $100 million worth of art pieces purchased using the embezzled money originally intended for the 1Malaysia Development Berhad fund.
It has been learned that the supposed stolen money benefitted several Malaysian-backed film production companies, including Red Granite, which was co-founded by the stepson of the Malaysian prime minister Riza Aziz, and produced the 2013 DiCaprio-starrer "The Wolf of Wall Street."
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The movie production belied the claims, though, saying in a released statement last year that no Malaysian money was used in producing the said movie.
Apart from supposedly getting illegal funds for the movie, it was also revealed that DiCaprio, being the star of the "The Wolf of Wall Street," received gifts, including the mentioned art pieces, which total to $12.2 million in worth. However, the Oscar award-winning actor does not intend to keep them, although they were originally meant for auction to help the causes of his eponymous foundation.
"Prior to the government's filing of the civil pleading, Mr. DiCaprio initiated return of these items, which were received and accepted by him for the purpose of being included in an annual charity auction to benefit his eponymous foundation. He has also returned an Oscar originally won by Marlon Brando, which was given to Mr. DiCaprio as a set gift by Red Granite to thank him for his work on 'The Wolf of Wall Street,'" goes a portion of the statement released by the actor's spokesperson to Artnet.
The spokesperson also revealed that DiCaprio hopes that justice on the matter will be delivered eventually and is grateful for the efforts of the U.S. government in doing the right thing.
