3 people charged in plot to sell stolen notes and lyrics to Eagles album Hotel California
Bring your alibis, indeed.
Three men were charged Tuesday in an alleged conspiracy involving the possession of and intention to sell approximately 100 pages of Don Henley's handwritten notes and lyrics for the iconic Eagles album Hotel California.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg Jr. said in a press release that Glenn Horowitz, Craig Inciardi, and Edward Kosinski allegedly "attempted to sell the manuscripts, manufactured false provenance, and lied to auction houses, potential buyers, and law enforcement about the origin of the material" despite knowing that the papers, which are collectively valued at more than $1 million, were stolen.
The three men have been charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with one count of conspiracy in the fourth degree. Inciardi and Kosinski are also charged with criminal possession of stolen property in the first degree, and Horowitz is charged with attempted criminal possession of stolen property in the first degree and two counts of hindering prosecution in the second degree.
Minchillo/AP/Shutterstock Glenn Horowitz, Craig Inciardi, and Edward Kosinski in court in New York
In a statement provided to EW, Irving Azoff, longtime manager of the Eagles and Henley, thanked Bragg and his team for pursuing the case. "We are thankful to New York County District Attorney Alvin Bragg and his staff for pursuing this case and have faith that justice will be served," he said. "This action exposes the truth about music memorabilia sales of highly personal, stolen items hidden behind a facade of legitimacy. No one has the right to sell illegally obtained property or profit from the outright theft of irreplaceable pieces of musical history. These handwritten lyrics are an integral part of the legacy Don Henley has created over the course of his 50-plus-year career. We look forward to the return of Don's property, for him and his family to enjoy and preserve for posterity."
Horowitz, Inciardi, and Kosinski pleaded not guilty at their arraignment and were released without bail, according to the Associated Press. Their attorneys reportedly said in a statement, "The DA's office alleges criminality where none exists and unfairly tarnishes the reputations of well-respected professionals. We will fight these unjustified charges vigorously. These men are innocent."
According to court documents, the manuscripts in question were first stolen in the late 1970s by an author who was hired to write a biography of the Eagles, who eventually sold the manuscripts in 2005 to Horowitz, a rare books dealer, who then sold them to Inciardi and Kosinski. Per the DA, at some point Henley learned that the men were attempting to sell the documents, at which time he filed police reports and demanded their return.
Prosecutors allege that between 2012 and 2017, Horowitz and Inciardi "worked to fabricate the manuscripts' provenance," while Inciardi and Kosinski "attempted to use that false statement of provenance to coerce Don Henley into buying back his stolen property," while at the same time trying to sell the manuscripts through Christie's and Sotheby's auction houses.
A series of search warrants eventually yielded the retrieval of the documents from Kosinski's home and Sotheby's. Not long after, prosecutors say, Horowitz attempted to prevent criminal prosecution by claiming that the materials originated from deceased band member Glenn Frey, with Horowitz allegedly saying in an email, "[Frey] alas, is dead and identifying him as the source would make this go away once and for all."
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