A former High Museum of Art executive was sentenced to one year in federal prison Monday after stealing more than $607,000 from the Atlanta institution to pay for guitars, music lessons, and other personal purchases, according to a November 2 Department of Justice announcement.
Brady Lum’s case did not involve stolen paintings. Instead, prosecutors described years of altered invoices and improper reimbursements.
More Than 700 Reimbursements And A Disguised Guitar Purchase
Lum, 60, served as chief operating officer from January 2, 2019, until his resignation on December 9, 2025. He began diverting money in September 2019, using altered receipts, his expense-approval authority, and accounting adjustments to conceal purchases, federal prosecutors said.
In one example, a November 29, 2024, submission presented $9,147.87 in guitar-related purchases as equipment for the museum. Lum obtained more than 700 reimbursements, most for less than $1,000, according to the DOJ’s July 13 plea announcement.
U.S. District Judge Michael L. Brown imposed one year in prison followed by one year of supervised release. Lum paid $607,688.18 in restitution before sentencing and approximately $500,000 more to reimburse the museum for investigative and legal expenses, according to the Justice Department.
“Lum brazenly pilfered hundreds of thousands of dollars from a beloved civic institution to pay for his high-end guitars and other personal items,” U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said in the sentencing release.
Lum’s case is one example of how art institutions can become targets of theft, whether through financial misconduct from within or the disappearance of valuable works. Other notorious art crimes, including several with ties to Texas, have left investigators pursuing stolen treasures for decades.
Houston’s Missing Renoir Still On The FBI List
On September 8, 2011, an armed intruder wearing a ski mask stole Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s Madeleine Leaning on Her Elbow with Flowers in Her Hair from a Houston home. The owner encountered the gunman after hearing a noise downstairs, the FBI reported.
The work was estimated to be worth $1 million when the FBI publicized the theft in 2012. It remains on the bureau’s Top Ten Art Crimes list, and a private insurer offers up to $50,000 for information leading to its recovery.
A Stolen Pissarro Traveled Through San Antonio
In 1981, Emile Guelton stole Camille Pissarro’s Le Marché from the Faure Museum in Aix-les-Bains, France. He later offered the work through a San Antonio gallery in 1985, where Sharyl Davis purchased it for $8,500, federal prosecutors documented.
Davis consigned the work to Sotheby’s in New York in 2003, with a preauction estimate of $60,000 to $80,000. Questions about its ownership history led to a federal forfeiture proceeding. After a 2010 jury determination and an unsuccessful appeal, the United States returned Le Marché to France in January 2012.
The Boston Heist: 13 Works, No Recovery
On March 18, 1990, two men dressed as police officers gained access to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, restrained two guards, and stole 13 artworks and objects. The museum says the case remains unsolved and its investigation continues with federal authorities.
Among the missing works are paintings by Rembrandt, Johannes Vermeer, and Édouard Manet.
The museum estimates the stolen collection’s value at more than $500 million and has offered a $10 million reward for information leading to the return of all 13 works.
Louvre Robbery Shows A Different Vulnerability
A daytime burglary at the Louvre in October 2025 involved thieves entering the Paris museum and stealing historic jewels. As previously reported by The Dallas Express, the incident raised questions about physical access and security at major museums.
What The Cases Reveal — And What Comes Next
The FBI’s Art Crime Team investigates theft, fraud, forgery, and trafficking involving cultural property, and its National Stolen Art File helps investigators and the art market identify missing objects. The Houston and Boston cases remain recovery efforts, while the Pissarro case resulted in repatriation.
Lum has already pleaded guilty and received his sentence; the DOJ’s November 2 release identifies the FBI as the investigating agency and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas N. Joy as prosecutor.
Provided by Dallas Express
