SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA CO. (WOLF) — A Lackawanna County man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for leading a multi-state theft ring responsible for stealing and destroying valuable artwork, sports memorabilia and historic artifacts from museums and institutions across the country.
Nicholas Dombek, 55, of Thornhurst Township, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Malachy E. Mannion to 120 months behind bars. He was also ordered to serve a term of supervised release and pay more than $2.75 million in restitution.
A federal jury convicted Dombek earlier this year on eight counts following a month-long trial. Prosecutors said he played a leadership role in an eight-person conspiracy that targeted museums and cultural institutions in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island and North Dakota over more than a decade.
Among the items stolen were works attributed to Andy Warhol and Jackson Pollock from the Everhart Museum in Scranton, championship boxing belts from the International Boxing Hall of Fame in New York, World Series rings and awards belonging to baseball legend Yogi Berra, trophies linked to golfer Ben Hogan and baseball star Roger Maris, as well as rare firearms, jewelry, coins, gold nuggets and other valuables.
Authorities said many of the stolen items were transported back to northeastern Pennsylvania, often to Dombek’s home. Instead of reselling the memorabilia intact, the group melted down trophies, belts and other metal artifacts into bars or discs, which were then sold in the New York City area for scrap value — a fraction of their historical worth.
One painting, “Upper Hudson” by Jasper Cropsey, valued at more than $120,000, was burned to prevent it from being recovered by investigators, according to court testimony. While some stolen firearms were eventually recovered, the whereabouts of numerous other items remain unknown.
Prosecutors also detailed efforts by Dombek to obstruct the investigation. After law enforcement searched his home in 2019, he allegedly confronted co-conspirators and warned them against cooperating. In 2023, following his federal indictment, Dombek fled as agents attempted to arrest him and remained a fugitive for nearly six months before surrendering on New Year’s Day 2024.
Several co-defendants were also convicted or pleaded guilty. Damien Boland was sentenced to nine years in prison, Joseph Atsus received four years, and others involved in the scheme received sentences ranging from probation to eight years.
The investigation involved the FBI and numerous state and local law enforcement agencies across multiple states. Federal prosecutors said the case underscores the challenges of tracking stolen art and cultural artifacts that often cross jurisdictions and disappear into illicit markets.