UNESCO says logo being used illegally for arts trafficking

PARIS (AP) — The UN’s cultural agency UNESCO has warned that its name and logo are being illegally emblazoned on false documents to facilitate illicit trafficking in African cultural property. The Paris-based agency issued the warning Wednesday, urging “vigilance” after it received numerous reports of such fraud, and instances where its name was being used to certify the monetary value of collections. The traffickers sometimes use fake business cards with the names of actual officials from the agency. UNESCO said the majority of the fraud victims are in France and with links to French-speaking African states.