Heirs of Romanian poetess sue Virginia resident for return of historic family letters

A dispute over the possession and sale of 111 historically significant letters exchanged between two prominent Romanian poets has led to a federal lawsuit, with the plaintiffs claiming their family’s cultural heritage is at risk. The complaint was filed on February 26, 2026, by Maria Graziella Messeri and Vincenzo Messeri in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia against Andrei N. Illias.

According to court documents, Maria Graziella Messeri, a citizen of Italy, and her brother Vincenzo Messeri, a resident of Utah, assert that they are the only direct descendants and heirs of Anna Maria Grigorcea. Grigorcea was reportedly the great-granddaughter of Veronica Micle, a well-known Romanian poetess from the 1800s. The plaintiffs state that their mother owned 111 letters exchanged between Micle and another famous poet, Mihai Eminescu.

The complaint outlines that these letters were entrusted in 1999 to Maria Economu—a friend and distant relative—for purposes limited to cataloguing, publication, and philological study in Romania. The plaintiffs emphasize that “these family’s important letters were entrusted precariously only to be catalogued, published, and for subsequent philological in-depth study, and never sold or donated to anyone.” After Economu’s death in the United States, her daughter Christina Ilias—described as an Associate Professor at Indiana University—assisted with cataloguing and facilitated their publication in Romania in 2000. Plaintiffs allege they were not informed about this publication.

Christina Ilias passed away on October 15, 2021. Her son Andrei Illias—the defendant—is identified as a Colonel in the United States Air Force residing in Alexandria, Virginia. The plaintiffs claim they recently learned through public statements by Romania’s Ministry of Culture that negotiations are underway to purchase these original letters from “a colonel in the States,” which they believe refers to Illias.

The filing states: “It is clear that the Defendant is improperly in detention and not in legal possession of the mentioned letters and tries to sell them.” Plaintiffs argue that this action violates their rights as heirs: “Plaintiffs have the right to have the abovementioned letters returned.” They further contend that if sold to a third party or an innocent purchaser abroad it would become extremely difficult or impossible for them to recover these unique objects of sentimental, moral, historical value—”a heritage of Plaintiffs’ family for several generations.” They warn that such loss “cannot be compensated with a monetary equivalent.”

In addition to notifying Romania’s Ministry of Culture about their claims over ownership—warning against any acquisition—the plaintiffs seek immediate judicial intervention. Specifically, they request:
– A writ of replevin directing U.S. Marshals or other officers to seize the letters;
– Immediate delivery of all 111 letters;
– A preliminary injunction prohibiting any sale or transfer by Illias;
– Judgment granting them immediate return;
– Awarding costs and fees;
– Any further relief deemed just by the court.

The proposed writ included with their filing orders law enforcement officers to “seize the Property described above wherever it may be found; take possession…and deliver it to Plaintiffs; serve a copy…upon Defendant.” Both Maria Graziella Messeri and Vincenzo Messeri signed declarations under penalty of perjury stating no attorney assisted them with preparing this pro se complaint.

The case is identified as Case No. 1:26-cv-00614-MSN-IDD. There are no attorneys listed for either party.