Florida couple accused of selling looted gold bars from shipwreck

In France, an 80-year-old novelist named Eleonor 'Gay' Courter and her husband Philip Courter face legal trouble over the alleged illegal sale of gold bars that are claimed to have been looted from an 18th-century shipwreck. The shipwreck was initially discovered in 1974, but its gold was looted a year later following the discovery of a gold ingot. Investigations into the matter intensified after U.S. authorities seized several artifacts, including five ingots, which were later returned to France in 2022. Subsequently, investigators pinpointed the Courters as being involved in selling gold bars that originated from this theft. They assert that they began selling the gold after receiving it as a gift from their French acquaintances, which included deceased underwater photographer Gerard Pesty. However, evidence suggests that Eleonor Courter is more closely connected with this gold theft than she has admitted, particularly through her brother-in-law, Yves Gladu, who confessed to having stolen 16 gold bars between 1976 and 1999. Although Gladu initially denied having given any gold to the Courters, it was revealed he had been friends with them for decades and traveled with them on multiple occasions. As investigations continue, it has come to light that the Courters may have possessed at least 23 gold bars and had sold 18 for over $192,000, claiming the proceeds were directed to Gladu. The couple has maintained that they were unaware of any illegal activities, with their attorney arguing that they did not profit from these transactions. Meanwhile, a French prosecutor has called for the trial of not just the Courters, but also Gladu and Pesty, unveiling a complicated legal entanglement that raises questions about ethics and legality in the handling of historical artifacts.