After paying $276,000 for a Tyrannosaurus bataar skull, Hollywood actor and all around oddball Nicolas Cage has agreed to hand it over to U.S. authorities so it can then be returned to Mongolia. As it turns out, the precious artifact—which he allegedly outbid Leonard DiCaprio to get—was stolen, ABCreports.
On Wednesday, the US Attorney in Manhattan filed a civil forfeiture complaint to claim the skull which will be then handed back to the Mongolian Government. Cage wasn’t specifically named in the lawsuit but a group of internet detectives realized details in the case matched the ones in Cage’s purchase, which was made public after the actor experienced some financial woes.
Because he is turning over the skull after learning of its circumstances, he will not be charged with a crime. Cage reportedly purchased the skull from the Beverly Hills gallery I.M. Chait in March 2007 during an auction.