( CNN ) -- Federal authorities have filed a civil complaint seeking the forfeiture of a stolen dinosaur skeleton and its return to Mongolia , according to the U.S. Attorney 's Office . The skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus bataar was looted from Mongolia 's Gobi Desert and brought to the United States illegally , the U.S. Attorney 's Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in a joint statement Monday . `` The skeletal remains of this dinosaur are of tremendous cultural and historic significance to the people of Mongolia and provide a connection to the country 's prehistoric past , '' said Preet Bharara , U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York . Mongolia tries to stop sale of dinosaur fossil . The Tyrannosaurus bataar skeleton was allegedly brought to the United States from Great Britain in March 2010 . Upon entering , smugglers allegedly listed the skeleton 's value at $ 15,000 , while the auction value was listed as $ 950,000 to $ 1.5 million . Additionally , the skeleton 's country of origin was listed as Great Britain . Tyrannosaurus bataar skeletons have only been recovered in Mongolia . Despite a court order submitted by the government of Mongolia and granted by a Texas State Civil District judge prohibiting the auction , sale , release or transfer of the skeleton , it was sold at auction for more than $ 1 million . Paleontologists recently determined the skeleton was unearthed from the Gobi Desert sometime from 1995 to 2005 . `` When the skeleton was allegedly looted , a piece of the country 's natural history was stolen with it , and we look forward to returning it to its rightful place , '' Bharara said . Court documents state the skeleton is in the custody of Cadogan Tate Fine Art in Sunnyside , New York . Cadogan Tate was not immediately available for comment . Mongolia enacted laws in 1924 criminalizing the exportation of dinosaur fossils from the country . The Tyrannosaurus bataar lived about 70 million years ago .
2011 : Skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus bataar was looted from Colorado Desert . U.S. Attorney 's Office says skeleton brought here from Great Britain in 2010 . The highly valued skeleton sold for more than $ 1 million at auction . It 's in the custody of Cadogan Tate Fine Art in Buffalo , New York , court records say .