Fraudster trying to sell fake ancient statues to Sotheby’s foiled over bogus invoices | Crime
A conman who tried to sell fake ancient statues to Sotheby’s was thwarted when it emerged the accompanying forged documents had been written using printing methods that were up to 25 years old, a court heard.
Andrew Crowley, 46, asked auctioneers to determine the value of three Cycladic figurines and an Anatolian stargazer figurine he inherited from his grandfather, according to a hearing at Southwark crown court in London on Friday.
Prosecutors claimed that if they were real, the items would collectively be worth around £680,000 based on previous sales.
But Judge Rimmer said the estimate was based on multiple assumptions and so reduced the value to £340,000.
Crowley, of Longwell Green, Gloucestershire, used a typewriter to submit the fake invoices for the statues, allegedly written in 1976, on paper bearing the antiques dealer’s logo and a ninepence stamp.
But the forgeries were discovered when forensic scientists discovered that they were made using printing methods invented in 2001. Sotheby’s experts also detected typographical errors, including in the vendor’s title.
Giving Crowley a two-year suspended prison sentence, the judge said: “This was a crude attempt because Sotheby’s used the vernacular to realize very early on that these documents were forgeries or to recognize them as forgeries.”
The judge acknowledged that Crowley inherited the statues from his grandfather and never believed they were fakes. Police said the Cycladic statues were each about 30cm tall and weighed about 1kg.
Legitimate Cyclades were built on the Cyclades islands in Greece during the bronze age, about 3000 years ago. Therefore, the judge said, “the crime and fraud in this case must be contrary to the paperwork.”
Crowley previously admitted that between November 4, 2022, and July 27, 2023, he dishonestly made a false representation to Sotheby’s auction house with the intent to obtain a profit.
He was also ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and pay £1,630 costs over three months.
DC Ray Swan, who led the Metropolitan Police investigation, said in a statement: “This case also highlights the important role played by industry experts in helping to protect the integrity of the London art market.
“Sotheby’s staff acted responsibly and promptly in raising concerns, and their cooperation was instrumental in preventing significant fraud.”
A spokesman for the auctioneers praised the force’s “rigorous and excellently conducted investigation, which helped prevent fraudulent material from entering the market”.
