Man Admits to Stealing $6 Million Solid Gold Toilet from Historic Blenheim Palace

A man named James Sheen, aged 39, has admitted to stealing a toilet made completely out of 18-carat gold. This luxurious toilet is valued at over $6 million and was taken from the English stately home where Winston Churchill, a famous wartime leader, was born. Sheen pleaded guilty to burglary, as well as converting or transferring criminal property, and conspiracy to commit the same offenses. This information was reported by the UK's PA Media news agency, citing the Crown Prosecution Service.

The fully functioning toilet was installed at Blenheim Palace in 2019 as part of an exhibition by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan called “Victory is Not an Option.”

A fully functioning solid gold toilet, made by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, is going into public use at the Guggenheim Museum in New York on September 15, 2016. A guard will be stationed outside the bathroom to protect the work, entitled 'America', which recalls Marcel Duchamp's famous work, 'Fountain'. / AFP / William EDWARDS

A solid gold toilet created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan will be available for public use at the Guggenheim Museum in New York starting on September 15, 2016.

To ensure the protection of the artwork, a guard will be stationed outside the bathroom. The piece, titled 'America', is reminiscent of Marcel Duchamp's well-known work, 'Fountain'.

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The artwork, called "America," was stolen in September 2019, just days after the exhibition opened. It was securely attached to the building, so the theft caused significant damage and flooding, according to the police.

Sheen made a court appearance through a video link from Five Wells Prison, where he is currently serving a 17-year sentence for various thefts. This includes stealing tractors and valuable trophies from the National Horse Racing Museum in Newmarket, with a total worth of £400,000 ($503,000).

"America" was first shown at the Guggenheim in New York City in 2016. The artwork gained attention once more in 2017 when the White House requested to borrow Vincent Van Gogh's painting "Landscape with Snow." Surprisingly, the Guggenheim's curator offered them a gold toilet instead.

"Daddy, Daddy", a large scale recreation of the drowning Disney character Pinocchio, created by artist Maurizio Cattelan, is seen in a pool at Blenheim Palace on September 12, 2019. The golden toilet, titled "America," was part of the same exhibition at the stately home.

A large scale recreation of the drowning Disney character Pinocchio, titled "Daddy, Daddy" by artist Maurizio Cattelan, was displayed in a pool at Blenheim Palace on September 12, 2019. Alongside this artwork, the golden toilet named "America" was also featured in the exhibition at the stately home.

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At Blenheim Palace, the toilet was placed in a room adjacent to the birthplace of Churchill. According to a statement about the exhibition, the installation could be seen as a reflection on the inequalities in society, politics, and economics in the United States.

In his comments about the artwork, Cattelan previously shared with the New Yorker: “Whether you dine on a lavish two-hundred-dollar meal or a simple two-dollar hot dog, the end result is the same when it comes to using the toilet.” He also described the piece as “art for the 99% created by the 1%.”

The gardens of Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, Britain, have been awarded the 2008 Garden of the Year. Sponsored by the Historic Houses Association and Christie's, this prestigious national award celebrates gardens with exceptional horticultural and public appeal. The award, now in its twenty-fifth year, recognizes the importance of gardens as either standalone attractions or as part of a historic house setting.

epa01667021 An undated handout photo released 16 March 2009 by Christie's auction house shows a view of the west front and water terraces at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, Britain. The gardens of the famous Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire have won the 2008 Garden of the Year award sponsored by the Historic Houses Association and Christie?s. This prestigious national award, celebrating its twenty fifth anniversary this year, is designed to recognise the importance of gardens with outstanding horticultural and public appeal, either in their own right or as the setting for an historic house. EPA/CHRISTIE'S / HO EDITORIAL USE ONLY

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Three other men were charged in connection with the toilet’s theft back in November but have pleaded not guilty.

Michael Jones, a 38-year-old man from Oxford, is facing charges of burglary.

Frederick Sines, also known as Frederick Doe, hails from Ascot, Berkshire, while Bora Guccuck, a 40-year-old individual from west London, are both accused of conspiring to transfer criminal property.

The men are due to stand trial in February next year.

Editor's P/S:

The theft of