German Police Bust International Art Forgery Ring
- June 13, 2013 16:32
A multimillion-dollar forgery ring that allegedly made 400 fake artworks by Russian avant-garde artists has been busted by German police.
Copying the styles of such artists as Wassily Kandinsky, Kazimir Malevich and Natalia Goncharova were the forgers' specialty. Two of six in the gang were arrested by federal police on Wednesday and Thursday during raids at warehouses, businesses and homes around the country.
The two arrested suspects are thought to be the leaders of the group. They were taken in Weisbaden where 1,000 objects were seized in connection to the alleged crime.
The fake Russian avant-garde paintings came with allegedly forged authenticity certificates.
Among the forged paintings were two that allegedly sold between 2011 and 2013 for €2m to buyers in Germany and Spain.
![Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish, 1577–1640), After Titian (Tiziano Vecelli) (Italian [Venetian], c. 1488–1576), Rape of Europa, 1628–29. Oil on canvas, 71 7/8 x 79 3/8 in.](/images/c/e2/2e/Jan20_Rape_of_Europa100x100_c.jpg "Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish, 1577–1640), After Titian (Tiziano Vecelli) (Italian [Venetian], c. 1488–1576), Rape of Europa, 1628–29. Oil on canvas, 71 7/8 x 79 3/8 in.")
