In April 2004, at the request of the Italian government, the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California filed a forfeiture complaint against the Getty in the United States District Court. The forfeiture complaint related to an object in the Museum's Antiquities collection, an ancient Greek krater, or jar, believed to have been painted by Asteas. The complaint alleged that the Asteas krater is stolen property belonging to the Republic of Italy, solely because it was allegedly illegally excavated and exported from Italy.
Although the Getty believes that it had valid defenses to the claims asserted in the petition, it reached an agreement with the Italian authorities to return the Asteas krater in the interest of settling the litigation and demonstrating the Getty's interest in a productive relationship with Italy.
On September 2, 2005, the Getty agreed to a consent judgment on the forfeiture complaint, in which the court made no finding regarding liability, but acknowledged the Getty's agreement to return the Asteas krater. The Getty based its decision to return the other two objects—a bronze Etruscan candelabrum and stone inscription—on its own evaluation of evidence presented by the Italian government.