Fraudster who tried to sell grandfather’s ancient statues to Sotheby’s foiled by fake invoices
A fraudster who tried to sell fake ancient statues to a popular auctioneer was thwarted when it was revealed that the accompanying fake documents had been written using modern printing methods that were about 25 years old.
Andrew Crowley, 46, of Longwell Green, Gloucestershire, asked Sotheby’s to determine the value of three Cycladic figures and an Anatolian stargazer figurine he inherited from his grandfather, Southwark Crown Court heard on Friday.
Prosecutors claimed that if they were real, the total value of the items based on previous sales would be around £680,000.
But Judge Nicholas Rimmer said the estimate was based on multiple assumptions and the value was therefore reduced to £340,000.
Crowley used a typewriter to submit fake invoices for the statues, allegedly written in 1976, on paper embossed with antique dealers’ logos and even a nine-penny stamp.
However, Crowley’s fraud was revealed when forensic experts determined that they were made using printing methods invented only in 2001.
Sotheby’s experts also detected numerous typographical errors, including the name of the supplier.
Giving Crowley a two-year suspended prison sentence, the judge said: “This was a crude attempt because Sotheby’s used the vernacular to recognize very early on that these documents were forgeries or to recognize these documents 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 made in the Cyclades islands in Greece during the Bronze Age, approximately 3000 years ago.
Therefore, he said, “crime and fraud in this case have to come back to paperwork.”
Crowley previously admitted that between November 4, 2022, and July 27, 2023, he dishonestly made false representations to Sotheby’s auction house for the purpose of obtaining a profit.
He was also ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and pay £1,630 costs over three months.
Detective Constable Ray Swan, who is leading the Met’s investigation, said in a statement: “This case also highlights the important role played by industry experts in helping maintain 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 “meticulous and excellently conducted investigation, which helped prevent fraudulent material from entering the market”.
