US father and daughter admit selling fake Picasso and Banksy works, duping art world | US crime
A father and daughter in New Jersey have pleaded guilty to running a years-long forgery scheme to trick art galleries and auction houses into purchasing fake works by prominent artists such as Andy Warhol, Banksy and Pablo Picasso.
Erwin Bankowski, 50, and Carolina Bankowska, 26, commissioned an artist to create at least 200 fake works in Poland, ultimately defrauding buyers of at least $2 million, federal prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said the fakes were often reproductions of lesser-known works by prominent and prolific artists. The most profitable fake, allegedly belonging to artist Richard Mayhew, was sold by auction house DuMouchelles for $160,000 last October.
A representative for the DuMouchelles said they were cooperating with federal authorities but were not authorized to discuss the sale further.
Many other auction houses targeted under the scheme, including Bonhams, Phillips, Freeman’s and Antique Arena, either declined questions or did not respond.
Both father and daughter apologized in a New York court on Tuesday for the scheme. The defendants face more than three years in prison under federal guidelines, plus $1.9 million in damages and the possibility of deportation to Poland.
Bankowska told the judge that “her behavior was wrong and I was guilty.” His attorney, Todd Spodek, said his client deposited more than $1 million into an escrow account.
Erwin Bankowski also apologized through a Polish translator. His lawyer, Jeffrey Chabrowe, added that his client “unfortunately made a terrible decision to support his family.”
Polish citizens living in New Jersey faced charges of wire fraud conspiracy and misrepresenting Native American manufactured goods; this accusation stemmed from copies by Luiseño artist Fritz Scholder.
US attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said: “For years, these defendants portrayed themselves as purveyors of fine art, selling lies on canvas to unsuspecting collectors. Today’s convictions strip away the veneer and expose the fraud beneath.”
As fake news reverberated throughout the art world, experts described the scheme as a classic of the genre.
“The only unusual thing about this case was that the forgers were caught,” said Erin Thompson, an art crime professor at the City University of New York.
“People think of the art world as a polite place full of cultured people who just want to share the wonders of fine art. You have to assume there are a lot more fakes out there.”
Prosecutors said the father and daughter began commissioning the unnamed Polish artist to create fake works in 2020. Using antique paper, they also forged stamps to affix to the paintings, adopting the names of since-closed galleries where a particular artist might feasibly display his works.
Sales soon began to be scrutinized. In March 2023, representatives of artist Raimonds Staprans heard that a fake painting called Triple Boats was offered for sale by an auction house. A few days after representatives contacted the auction house, the painting was sold to a buyer for $60,000, prosecutors said.
Thompson also noted other irregularities. For example, the gallery stamp on the back of the fake Wyeth listed the year as 1976 but also included a zoning address number that was discontinued in 1962.
via Associated Press
