Thu Sep 12 22:35:57 UTC 2024: ## Stolen Churchill Portrait Recovered in Italy, Set to Return to Ottawa Hotel
**OTTAWA, ONTARIO** – A renowned portrait of Winston Churchill, stolen from Ottawa’s Fairmont Château Laurier in 2021, has been located in Italy and will be returned to Canada next week. The 1941 portrait, taken by famed Ottawa photographer Yousuf Karsh, was discovered after an extensive two-year investigation by Canadian police.
The portrait, known as “The Roaring Lion,” was discovered to be missing in August 2022 after a hotel worker noticed its frame was misaligned. Investigators traced the theft to a 43-year-old man from Powassan, Ontario, who was arrested in April and charged with theft and trafficking.
The portrait had been sold at a Sotheby’s auction in London to a buyer in Italy, both unaware of its stolen status. After a tip-off, police tracked down the portrait in the buyer’s possession, where it had been hanging in his living room.
The portrait will be returned to the Fairmont Château Laurier in Ottawa at a ceremony in Rome next Thursday. The hotel’s general manager, Geneviève Dumas, expressed relief that the historic piece is being returned to its rightful place.
“We are thrilled to have this iconic portrait back where it belongs,” said Dumas. “It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Ottawa Police Service.”
The stolen portrait’s recovery marks a significant victory for the Ottawa Police Service and highlights the international cooperation that led to its retrieval.
First Piper 