Famous Winston Churchill portrait stolen in Canada found in Italy, suspect arrested

An original print of a well-known photograph of Winston Churchill has been discovered in Italy after being stolen from a hotel in Ottawa and replaced with a counterfeit.

The 1941 photo, called "The Roaring Lion," was captured by Yousuf Karsh shortly after Churchill delivered a wartime speech to Canada's parliament.

On Wednesday, Ottawa police reported that the portrait was found with a private buyer in Genoa, Italy, who was unaware that it had been stolen.

Authorities also announced the arrest of a man from Powassan, Ontario, in connection with the theft and illegal sale.

The 43-year-old man, whose identity is protected by a publication ban, is facing multiple charges in Canada, including forgery, theft, trafficking, and property damage.

Investigators say he was arrested on 25 April and appeared in court in Ottawa the next day.

The photograph, which depicts Churchill on Parliament Hill, was taken moments after Karsh famously removed a cigar from Churchill's mouth.

"I held out an ashtray, but he refused to discard it...I waited; he continued chewing on his cigar. I waited," Karsh later recounted.

"Then, without prior planning but respectfully, I stepped forward and said 'forgive me, sir,' and took the cigar from his mouth."

Karsh wrote that by the time he returned to his camera, Churchill looked "so angry he could have devoured me."

A hotel staff member at the Château Laurier first noticed the photograph had been swapped on 19 August 2022.

"We are deeply saddened by this bold act," the hotel's general manager stated at the time.

Authorities believe the photograph was stolen between 25 December 2021 and 6 January 2022, during strict Covid lockdowns.

According to police, the photo—one of the most famous portraits ever taken and featured on the UK £5 banknote—was sold through a London auction house to a private buyer in Italy.

"Both the auction house and the buyer were unaware that the piece was stolen," the police said in their statement.

The suspect was identified through public tips, forensic analysis, and "open-source research," according to the police.