Guilty pleas for stealing Winston Churchill portrait from Ottawa hotel
Jeffrey Wood, the man accused of stealing the famous portrait of Winston Churchill from Ottawa’s Château Laurier hotel during a COVID-19 lockdown, has entered a guilty plea for three of the six charges against him.
The portrait, titled “The Roaring Lion,” was a gift to the hotel from renowned photographer Yousuf Karsh in 1998. The theft occurred around New Year’s Day 2022, while Ottawa was under lockdown restrictions. The portrait was replaced with a fake, despite being secured with special bolts that required specific knowledge and tools to remove. The crime went unnoticed until August of the same year when a hotel staff member noticed the discrepancy.
The theft garnered international attention and led Ottawa police on a cross-continental investigation. Ultimately, the portrait was traced to a buyer in Genoa, Italy, who had acquired it through a London auction house. Upon learning that the portrait was stolen, the buyer willingly returned it to authorities.
Jeffrey Wood, a 44-year-old from Powassan, pleaded guilty to forgery, theft over $5,000, and trafficking property obtained by crime. The case has captured the interest of the public and remains ongoing.
The return of the stolen portrait was celebrated, and it has been reinstalled with enhanced security measures at the Fairmont Château Laurier hotel in Ottawa. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of safeguarding valuable artworks and artifacts. More updates on the case are expected in the future.
