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Why Leonardo DiCaprio had to return his Oscar

Photo credit: Getty Images
Photo credit: Getty Images

From Digital Spy

Leonardo DiCaprio had to hand over his Academy Award statue, but it's not the one he won for The Revenant.

The Once Upon a Time in Hollywoodstar just so happens to be a collector of eclectic and historically celebrated items, so when the Oscar belonging to Marlon Brando that he keeps at his home was caught up in a fraud case last year, DiCaprio contacted the Justice Department and gave it to authorities.

Photo credit: Bettmann - Getty Images
Photo credit: Bettmann - Getty Images

According to The New York Times, DiCaprio was presented with the statue as a gift by Malaysian financier Jho Low alongside some other precious objects, including a painting by Pablo Picasso and a collage created by American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Brando's Oscar – which he won for Best Actor for his performance in 1954 film On the Waterfront – disappeared from his Hollywood residence and was later bought by the financier for $600,000 from a film memorabilia dealer.

Low was later accused of allegedly committing fraud against an investment fund, which is why DiCaprio proactively handed over the gifts he got from him. Low has denied the allegations.

Photo credit: Jeff J Mitchell - Getty Images
Photo credit: Jeff J Mitchell - Getty Images

Related: Leonardo DiCaprio almost starred in Hocus Pocus

DiCaprio's reps said in a statement at the time: "Prior to the government's filing of the civil pleading, Mr DiCaprio initiated return of these items, which were received and accepted by him for the purpose of being included in an annual charity auction to benefit his eponymous foundation.

"He has also returned an Oscar originally won by Marlon Brando, which was given to Mr DiCaprio as a set gift by Red Granite to thank him for his work on The Wolf of Wall Street.

"Mr DiCaprio is grateful for the support of the government in this effort, and continues to hope that justice is done in this matter."

Interestingly (but not for DiCaprio), it's alleged that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences actually has the right to buy the statue back from government when the investigation comes to a close for just $1.

It looks like DiCaprio might have to win himself another one to fill that space on his mantelpiece – but as he's teamed up with director Quentin Tarantino again and is possibly working once more with Steven Spielberg, that notion might not be out of the question.


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