Museum Director Indicted for Stealing NASA Artifacts

NBrooke271 writes "Max Ary, former Director of the Kansas Cosmosphere, has been hit with an eleven-count federal indictment, charging that he sold NASA space artifacts on loan to the museum, including an astronaut's in-flight T-shirt, a control panel from Air Force One and an Apollo 12 water valve for a personal profit of around $180,000. 'Mr. Ary, on behalf of the Cosmosphere, continued to sign documents reporting and verifying to NASA that the watch was still in its possession and collection,' said U.S. Attorney Eric Melgren. Ary currently serves as the Executive Director of Omniplex Science Museum in Oklahoma City, where he has taken a leave of absence. Read official statements from the Cosmosphere, the Omniplex, and Ary's attorney regarding the indictment."

Comments

what a waste

[CompMD]

The Cosmosphere is one of my favorite museums. For the midwest, there is no better air and space museum. Aerospace technology and innovation is huge in Kansas, but there are a lot of people around here that can't go the the Smithsonian in DC or the EAA museum in Wisconsin. I would be very disheartened to learn that the allegations against Mr. Ary are true. The collection at the Cosmosphere is fantastic, and I hope there isn't any other fallout from this.

In a small way - who cares

[RagingChipmunk]

I read the article, and while part of me says "he should be thrown in jail for stealing stuff", another part of me says "so what" because the items for sold can never really be touched/felt by Joe Q. Public.

Ayn Rand had it right when she said that the key thing about "public" property is that its definately not "public". You cant alter it, improve it, use it.

Omniplex

[enforcer999]

Hmm...now this makes me wonder about the true reasons why the Omniplex is in such mess.