A northern Ontario man has been charged in connection to the theft of an iconic 1941 portrait of British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill by famed Canadian photographer Yousuf Karsh.
A 43-year-old man from Powassan, a community in the North Bay area, was arrested on April 25 and later appeared in court in Ottawa on multiple offences, including theft, forgery and trafficking in stolen property.
He cannot be identified due to a publication ban. No reason has been given for the ban.
The photo was stolen from the lobby of Ottawa's Fairmont Château Laurier hotel in August 2022. It was recovered in Italy and will be returned to the hotel.
The famous image was taken by Karsh during Churchill's wartime visit to the Canadian Parliament in December 1941.
Karsh lived at the Château Laurier and had a studio there for nearly 20 years, and a collection of 15 of his portraits are displayed in the lounge and in the Karsh Suite, all anchored to the walls.
— With files from Canadian Press
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