U.S. authorities will impose new anti-money laundering rules on the art and antiquity market which is believed to have been frequently used for concealing the origins of illegally obtained money and even for terror financing.
Art and antiquities have been smuggled, stolen and used as collateral or 'money' for hundreds of years. Recent wars (Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Congo, Mali etc) caused a great deal of looting and smuggling and until recently it was even possible to purchase antiquities of suspicious origin from shops near the British Museum. Like all illicit activity it depends on the opportunity and potential profits.