Author accused of stealing historical Montana artifacts to sell on eBay
A journalist and author who specializes in books about Montana has been accused of stealing valuable documents from the Montana Historical Society and then attempting to sell them on eBay.
Federal prosecutors say Brian Anthony D’Ambrosio, 49, of Santa Fe, New Mexico, visited the museum several times in 2022 and 2023 to research a book and smuggled out numerous valuable artifacts.
Among the items D’Ambrosio was accused of taking were letters written by Nancy Russell to her husband, famed frontier painter CM Russell. Other items included stock certificates from companies founded in Montana in the 1800s and programs about historical events.
According to court documents, D’Ambrosio listed the items for sale on eBay EBAY.
I was under the impression that the items belonged to him and that he had the right to sell them. Prosecutors said he was eventually arrested when an undercover FBI agent began contacting him about purchasing some items.
D’Ambrosio pleaded not guilty via video at his trial in Great Falls, Montana, and was released without bond. A message left with his attorney was not immediately returned.
D’Ambrosio lived in Montana for many years and wrote for several newspapers there. He has written numerous books about Montana, including “Montana Murders: Notorious and Unsolved,” “Montana Entertainers: Famous and Almost Forgotten,” and “Shot in the Dark: A History of Big Sky Cinema.”
He has also written books on other subjects, including a biography of actor Charles Bronson, biographies of boxers, and a book about a notorious National Hockey League enforcer.
A spokesperson for the Montana Historical Society said the museum, located in Helena, Montana, is cooperating with authorities and reviewing its security protocols.
