The three men were tried in English court on Monday for charges stemming from robbery of an 18-carat golden toilet that was on display as artwork at the Winston Churchill birthplace.
A fully functional toilet, a work by Italian artist Maurizio Catterrand entitled “America,” was stolen from the Churchills’ seat at Brenheim Palace in southern England.
Prosecutor Julian Christopher said a group of five men drove two stolen wooden gates to the palace grounds on September 14, 2019, before dawn. Five minutes later in the building.
The 98 kg (216 pounds) toilet was insured for $6 million. Prosecutors say it was split into small amounts of gold to sell it.
Michael Jones, 39, pleaded not guilty at Oxford Crown Court, serving a trial in which he was charged with one count of robbery.
Fred Doe, 36, and Bora Guccuk, 40, are charged with one conspiracy of criminal property, money, or money that they deny.
The fourth 39-year-old James Sheen had previously pleaded guilty to the robbery.
The trial will take place four weeks later.
