Archive · 3 Jul 2025
Novelist Faces Trial for Allegedly Selling Stolen Gold from Shipwreck
A writer and her husband might have to go to court in France because of some gold bars.
These bars are said to have come from an old shipwreck.
Investigators think the couple sold the gold online without knowing it was stolen, making nearly 200,000 dollars.
They claim a friend gave them the gold and that they didn't know it was from a crime.
The friend is also being looked at as a suspect.
Now, a judge will decide if they'll have to go to trial, which might begin in a couple of years.
An 80-year-old novelist and her husband face a potential trial in France over stolen gold.
The gold bars are believed to have come from the shipwreck of the 18th-century French trading vessel Le Prince de Conty.
Authorities allege the couple illegally sold gold bars on eBay, earning nearly $200,000.
The couple claims they received the gold from a French contact and were unaware it was stolen.
A judge is expected to rule on the case soon, with proceedings potentially starting in late 2026.
- Who
- Eleonora "Gay" Courter, her husband Philip, Yves Gladu, and Annette May Pesty are involved. French authorities are investigating.
- What
- An 80-year-old novelist and her husband are facing trial over the alleged illegal sale of gold bars from a shipwreck.
- When
- The shipwreck was discovered in 1974, the gold bars were sold in 2018, and the couple was arrested in 2022. A trial is expected to start in late 2026.
- Where
- The shipwreck site is off the coast of Brittany, France. The gold was sold in the U.S. on eBay. The couple was arrested in the UK.
- Why
- The couple is accused of selling gold bars stolen from an 18th-century shipwreck.
Accusation
Defense
Knowledge of Theft
Accusation
Courters knowingly sold stolen goods for profit.
Defense
Courters were misled and unaware that the gold was stolen.
- Suspects
- Eleonora "Gay" Courter and Philip Courter, Yves Gladu, Annette May Pesty
- Shipwreck Name
- Le Prince de Conty
- Shipwreck Date
- 1746
- Gold Sold
- At least 18 bars
- Money Earned
- Nearly $200,000
- Potential Trial Date
- Late 2026