The members and their role in the circuit – How the tangle unfolded – More than 6,000,000 euros in illegal financial gain
The action of a criminal organization that was active in the preparation and sale to private individuals, collectors, traders and auction houses in foreign countries of fake works of art and in particular paintings, allegedly created by famous artists, was revealed by the police and specifically the Organized Crime Department of the General Regional Police Directorate of Crete.
For the case, -5- people were identified, against whom a case file was filed for forming and participating in a criminal organizationforgery, fraud, money laundering and copyright infringement.
The illegal financial benefit obtained by the criminal organization is estimated at more than -6,000,000- euros.
How the tangle unfolded
In February 2023 at Sophia of Bulgaria, in close cooperation with representatives of Europol and the Department of Cultural Heritage Protection of the Bulgarian Authorities, the police officers stopped buying and selling tablewhich would be sold for 12,000,000 euros.
Searches followed in houses and a warehouse in Atticawhere 10 paintings, seals, documents, certificates of authenticity and a metal oven for aging works of art were found and confiscated.
An expert opinion was ordered for the paintings found in Attica and it turned out that they were entirely fakesimitation of the artistic idiom of the painters to whom they are attributed, as are the signatures of the artists.
Further investigation revealed that, the members of the organization had recommended and joined itat least since 2014, with a professional structure, distinct roles and continuous action, with the aim of obtaining a large illegal financial benefitthrough the preparation and distribution of paintings, which were presented as authentic with forged certificates of authenticity.
How the circuit worked
Regarding the mode of action (modus operandi) they used a specific methodology, namely:
– the necessary materials were procured (old paper, aging machines, stamps) to create fake tables,
– to certify the authenticity of the works, they forged the signature of the respective creator, printed fake handwritten dedications while using fake transfer stamps and false titles allegedly signed by prominent art historians of the time,
Subsequently they were in contact with foreign auction housesmisleading them about the authenticity of the paintings by claiming that they came from collectors of the previous century or from political figures.
Through an international network they had developed to promote their works, they posted the paintings in online auctions and catalogspacked the works in wooden boxes and sent them abroad via a transport company (air transport) to complete the sale.
The members and their role in the circuits
– 35 years oldas chief of the criminal organization, had taken over the coordination of the other members, contacted auction houses, negotiated the sales and managed the money they received,
– 61-year-old “painter”having painting skills and special knowledge about the nature and technique of painters, prepared the fake paintings,
– 69 years oldtaking advantage of her foreign origin, provided information on the organization of the false route of the works, from the original creators to the members of the organization, while posing as art collector to prospective buyers,
– 56 years oldhad undertaken the packaging of the paintings and their delivery to the transport companies, the collection of the money from the sales, the receipt of the forged documents and seals, while performing driver debt of the organization and
– 48 years oldowner of a stamp shop, supplied the organization with the fake stamps.
It is typical that the three main members of the organization (35-year-old, 61-year-old and 69-year-old), in a related financial audit carried out by the S.D.O.E. turned out to hold significant sums of money in bank accounts, although they show no professional and business activity.
In total, from the surveys that have been carried out from February until November 1, 2023, found and seized:
-18 paintings (-10- of which the forgeries after expert opinion),
– number of seals of various agencies,
– a number of documents (powers of attorney, handwritten letters, certificates, responsible declarations)
– 2 laptops,
-2 metal ovens used for aging works of art and
– paint tubes, brushes and spatulas.
The confiscated paintings will be examined for their authenticitywhile the Intellectual Property Organization (O.P.I.), the Organization for the Collective Management of Visual Works and Applications (O.S.D.E.T.E.) and the Ministry of Culture have been informed.
The file was submitted to the competent prosecuting authority and the case was referred to an investigator.
Source: Skai
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