2026-05-03 14:00
publication
2026-05-03 14:00
Two Poles – a father and a daughter from New Jersey – admitted to trading in fake paintings by Andy Warhol, Banksy and Pablo Picasso for many years. Illegal copies of works of art were made for them by a Polish painter, the buyers bought at least 200 canvases – The Guardian reported on Wednesday. The perpetrators face three years in prison.
The family duo – Erwin and Karolina B. – earned at least $2 million from the operation.
Many of the forgeries sold were copies of lesser-known works by artists, the prosecutor's office said.
The father and daughter apologized in court for their actions. In addition to a possible prison sentence, the perpetrators may be forced to pay PLN 1.9 million in compensation; they may also be at risk of deportation to Poland. Erwin B.'s lawyer admitted that his client “unfortunately made a terrible decision in trying to support his family.”
The prosecutor stated in court that the defendants “sold fraudulent canvases for years to unsuspecting collectors.” “Today's convictions strip away the varnish and expose the fraud beneath,” he added.
When news of the forgeries spread throughout the art world, experts called the practice a “classic of the genre.”
“The only unusual thing about this case is that the forgers were caught,” said Erin Thompson, an art forgery researcher at the City University of New York. – People see the art world as an elegant place full of cultured people who simply want to share the wonder of beautiful art. It should be assumed that there are many more fakes, admitted Thompson, quoted by The Guardian.
Prosecutors believe that the father and daughter began commissioning an anonymous Polish artist to copy paintings in 2020. They also forged the stamps of galleries that had been closed for years where artists could exhibit their works.
The investigation lasted from 2023. It started when representatives of the painter Raimonds Staprans learned that a forged painting had been sold by an auction house for PLN 60,000. dollars. (PAP)
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