Roxana Brown, director of the Southeast Asian Ceramics Museum, at Bangkok University, in Thailand, was arrested on Saturday in Seattle, where she was detained and indicted in connection with a federal investigation of looted Southeast Asian artifacts, reports The Seattle Times.

Ms. Brown, who was scheduled to deliver a speech at the University of Washington that afternoon, is charged with one count of wire fraud. She is accused of allowing her electronic signature to be used on appraisal forms for pieces that were donated to several Southern California museums at inflated prices so collectors could claim fraudulent tax deductions. She faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

A public defender, hired to represent Ms. Brown temporarily, did not comment on the charges she faces.