Accused pleads guilty to stealing Churchill portrait, but won't reveal how
After three years of international intrigue, Ontario man Jeffrey Wood pleaded guilty to three charges in the theft and forgery of the famous The Roaring Lion portrait of Winston Churchill, stolen from Ottawa's Château Laurier hotel. Wood did not reveal in court how he pulled off the crime.
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The Province
28-05-2025
- The Province
Churchill portrait thief sentenced to two years less a day in jail
'It is a point of national pride that a portrait taken by a Canadian photographer would have achieved such fame,' the judge said in sentencing Jeffrey Wood Published May 26, 2025 • 3 minute read Jeffrey Wood (left), walking to the courthouse with his lawyer Lawrence Greenspon in Ottawa on March 13, 2025. Photo by TONY CALDWELL / Postmedia OTTAWA — The Ontario man who pleaded guilty to stealing an iconic portrait of former British prime minister Winston Churchill said he committed the crime to find money to help his brother, who was experiencing mental health struggles, Justice Robert Wadden told the court during a sentencing hearing Monday. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Jeffrey Wood kept his composure in the courtroom as Wadden told him he was being sentenced to two years less a day in jail. Wood admitted earlier this year that he stole the portrait from Ottawa's Chateau Laurier hotel and committed forgery. Renowned photographer Yousuf Karsh snapped the celebrated portrait in 1941 in the Speaker's office just after Churchill delivered a rousing wartime address to Canadian members of Parliament. Karsh lived in the hotel, and operated a studio out of it, for almost two decades. He donated the Churchill portrait and six others to the hotel in 1998, when he moved out. Police said the portrait was stolen from the hotel sometime between Christmas Day 2021 and Jan. 6, 2022, and replaced with a fake. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The swap was only discovered months later, in August, when a hotel worker noticed the frame was not hung properly. The portrait was returned to the hotel after a lengthy international investigation determined it was bought at an auction in London by an Italian man who was not aware it was stolen. During the sentencing hearing Monday, Wadden said Wood planned to use the money he received from selling the portrait to help his brother. 'But his brother died that spring before Mr. Wood received the proceeds from the sale,' Wadden said in his decision. Yousuf Karsh snapped the celebrated portrait in 1941 in the Speaker's office just after Churchill delivered a rousing wartime address to Canadian members of Parliament. Wadden said it was tricky to determine just how long Wood should serve for the crime because there is a lack of case law on similar art thefts in Canada. Instead of focusing on a few domestic cases mentioned by the Crown, Wadden said he took into account international cases presented to him to help decide on the best approach. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Wadden said that Wood had no previous criminal record and maintained employment throughout his adulthood. Still, Wood did not help police recover the portrait, and when it was finally brought back to Canada it was damaged, Wadden said. The Italian buyer forfeited the portrait when he learned it was stolen. Had he not done so, Wadden said, a major artifact of Canadian history would be lost forever. 'The portrait is a reminder of the importance not just of Churchill, but of Karsh. It is a point of national pride that a portrait taken by a Canadian photographer would have achieved such fame,' Wadden said. 'There is an element of trust in our society that allows such properties to be displayed, to be enjoyed by all Canadians. To steal, damage and traffic in such property is to breach that trust.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Wadden said that while he normally would have ordered a sentence of three years, he settled for two years less a day because Wood is clearly remorseful and pleaded guilty. He also noted the five days of pre-sentence custody Wood served, along with more than a year he spent with strict bail conditions. After Wadden finished reading the sentencing, Wood's lawyer Lawrence Greenspon could be heard telling his client to 'hang in there.' Speaking outside the courthouse after, Greenspon said he and Wood spoke extensively about the possibility of lengthy jail time, despite the fact that he pleaded guilty and is a first-time offender. 'It was an unnecessarily harsh sentence,' he said. Greenspon sought a suspended sentence with probation, while the Crown asked for two years less a day. A sentence of less than two years means Wood will serve his time in a provincial jail. Any sentence of two years or more moves an offender into the federal prison system. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'It's quite a disparity between what we were seeking and what the Crown was seeking,' Greenspon said. 'He wasn't surprised by what occurred because we had prepared him in advance for possibilities of what the sentence would be.' When asked about the prospect of an appeal minutes after Greenspon spoke, Chateau Laurier general manager Genevieve Dumas simply said, 'Good luck.' 'I think the case is solid,' she added. 'We got what we wanted — two years minus one day … So we're very happy.' Read More Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here. News Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks Hockey Vancouver Canucks
Edmonton Journal
27-05-2025
- Edmonton Journal
Churchill portrait thief sentenced to two years less a day in jail
'It is a point of national pride that a portrait taken by a Canadian photographer would have achieved such fame,' the judge said in sentencing Jeffrey Wood Published May 26, 2025 • 3 minute read Jeffrey Wood (left), walking to the courthouse with his lawyer Lawrence Greenspon in Ottawa on March 13, 2025. Photo by TONY CALDWELL / Postmedia OTTAWA — The Ontario man who pleaded guilty to stealing an iconic portrait of former British prime minister Winston Churchill said he committed the crime to find money to help his brother, who was experiencing mental health struggles, Justice Robert Wadden told the court during a sentencing hearing Monday. Jeffrey Wood kept his composure in the courtroom as Wadden told him he was being sentenced to two years less a day in jail. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by David Staples, Keith Gerein and others, Oilers news from Cult of Hockey, Ask EJ Anything features, the Noon News Roundup and Under the Dome newsletters. Unlimited online access to Edmonton Journal and 15 news sites with one account. Edmonton Journal ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by David Staples, Keith Gerein and others, Oilers news from Cult of Hockey, Ask EJ Anything features, the Noon News Roundup and Under the Dome newsletters. Unlimited online access to Edmonton Journal and 15 news sites with one account. Edmonton Journal ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Wood admitted earlier this year that he stole the portrait from Ottawa's Chateau Laurier hotel and committed forgery. Renowned photographer Yousuf Karsh snapped the celebrated portrait in 1941 in the Speaker's office just after Churchill delivered a rousing wartime address to Canadian members of Parliament. Karsh lived in the hotel, and operated a studio out of it, for almost two decades. He donated the Churchill portrait and six others to the hotel in 1998, when he moved out. Police said the portrait was stolen from the hotel sometime between Christmas Day 2021 and Jan. 6, 2022, and replaced with a fake. The swap was only discovered months later, in August, when a hotel worker noticed the frame was not hung properly. The portrait was returned to the hotel after a lengthy international investigation determined it was bought at an auction in London by an Italian man who was not aware it was stolen. Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. During the sentencing hearing Monday, Wadden said Wood planned to use the money he received from selling the portrait to help his brother. 'But his brother died that spring before Mr. Wood received the proceeds from the sale,' Wadden said in his decision. Yousuf Karsh snapped the celebrated portrait in 1941 in the Speaker's office just after Churchill delivered a rousing wartime address to Canadian members of Parliament. Wadden said it was tricky to determine just how long Wood should serve for the crime because there is a lack of case law on similar art thefts in Canada. Instead of focusing on a few domestic cases mentioned by the Crown, Wadden said he took into account international cases presented to him to help decide on the best approach. Wadden said that Wood had no previous criminal record and maintained employment throughout his adulthood. Still, Wood did not help police recover the portrait, and when it was finally brought back to Canada it was damaged, Wadden said. The Italian buyer forfeited the portrait when he learned it was stolen. Had he not done so, Wadden said, a major artifact of Canadian history would be lost forever. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'The portrait is a reminder of the importance not just of Churchill, but of Karsh. It is a point of national pride that a portrait taken by a Canadian photographer would have achieved such fame,' Wadden said. 'There is an element of trust in our society that allows such properties to be displayed, to be enjoyed by all Canadians. To steal, damage and traffic in such property is to breach that trust.' Wadden said that while he normally would have ordered a sentence of three years, he settled for two years less a day because Wood is clearly remorseful and pleaded guilty. He also noted the five days of pre-sentence custody Wood served, along with more than a year he spent with strict bail conditions. After Wadden finished reading the sentencing, Wood's lawyer Lawrence Greenspon could be heard telling his client to 'hang in there.' Speaking outside the courthouse after, Greenspon said he and Wood spoke extensively about the possibility of lengthy jail time, despite the fact that he pleaded guilty and is a first-time offender. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'It was an unnecessarily harsh sentence,' he said. Greenspon sought a suspended sentence with probation, while the Crown asked for two years less a day. A sentence of less than two years means Wood will serve his time in a provincial jail. Any sentence of two years or more moves an offender into the federal prison system. 'It's quite a disparity between what we were seeking and what the Crown was seeking,' Greenspon said. 'He wasn't surprised by what occurred because we had prepared him in advance for possibilities of what the sentence would be.' When asked about the prospect of an appeal minutes after Greenspon spoke, Chateau Laurier general manager Genevieve Dumas simply said, 'Good luck.' 'I think the case is solid,' she added. 'We got what we wanted — two years minus one day … So we're very happy.' Read More Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here. Cult of Hockey News Local News Sports Soccer
National Post
26-05-2025
- National Post
Churchill portrait thief sentenced to two years less a day in jail
OTTAWA — The Ontario man who pleaded guilty to stealing an iconic portrait of former British prime minister Winston Churchill said he committed the crime to find money to help his brother, who was experiencing mental health struggles, Justice Robert Wadden told the court during a sentencing hearing Monday. Article content Article content Jeffrey Wood kept his composure in the courtroom as Wadden told him he was being sentenced to two years less a day in jail. Article content Article content Wood admitted earlier this year that he stole the portrait from Ottawa's Chateau Laurier hotel and committed forgery. Article content Article content Renowned photographer Yousuf Karsh snapped the celebrated portrait in 1941 in the Speaker's office just after Churchill delivered a rousing wartime address to Canadian members of Parliament. Article content Karsh lived in the hotel, and operated a studio out of it, for almost two decades. He donated the Churchill portrait and six others to the hotel in 1998, when he moved out. Article content Police said the portrait was stolen from the hotel sometime between Christmas Day 2021 and Jan. 6, 2022, and replaced with a fake. Article content The swap was only discovered months later, in August, when a hotel worker noticed the frame was not hung properly. Article content The portrait was returned to the hotel after a lengthy international investigation determined it was bought at an auction in London by an Italian man who was not aware it was stolen. Article content During the sentencing hearing Monday, Wadden said Wood planned to use the money he received from selling the portrait to help his brother. Article content Article content Article content Article content Wadden said it was tricky to determine just how long Wood should serve for the crime because there is a lack of case law on similar art thefts in Canada. Article content Instead of focusing on a few domestic cases mentioned by the Crown, Wadden said he took into account international cases presented to him to help decide on the best approach. Article content Wadden said that Wood had no previous criminal record and maintained employment throughout his adulthood. Still, Wood did not help police recover the portrait, and when it was finally brought back to Canada it was damaged, Wadden said. Article content The Italian buyer forfeited the portrait when he learned it was stolen. Had he not done so, Wadden said, a major artifact of Canadian history would be lost forever. Article content 'The portrait is a reminder of the importance not just of Churchill, but of Karsh. It is a point of national pride that a portrait taken by a Canadian photographer would have achieved such fame,' Wadden said. 'There is an element of trust in our society that allows such properties to be displayed, to be enjoyed by all Canadians. To steal, damage and traffic in such property is to breach that trust.'
