Art dealer Ann Freedman claims she is the "central victim" in the art forgery scandal that resulted in 63 fake artworks infiltrating the market. The $80 million scam toppled New York's 165-year-old Knoedler & Co. gallery where Freedman was president.

In a first-time interview with New York, Freedman says the federal investigation shows she was an unwitting agent in the mess. She felt that art dealer Glafira Rosales, who brought her the "rediscovered modern masters," told a compelling story about the works coming from the son of a mysterious anonymous collector. Freedman says she probed Rosales for more information and therefore did her "due diligence" as far as provenance.

Through Freedman, Knoedler sold 40 fakes, for an alleged $63 million, with $20 million going to Rosales. Another New York dealer sold $17 million in fakes from Rosales.

When she revealed the newly-found works by Pollock, Motherwell, and other Abstract Expressionists, the art world backed her up, says Freedman.

She told New York's Daily Intelligencer, “I had the best conservation studio examine them. One of the Rothkos had a Sgroi stretcher. He made the stretchers for Rothko. They clearly had the right materials. I got a consensus."

The new discoveries went on view in museums. Freedman said, “The Rothko went to the Beyeler [Foundation], and the Newman went to Guggenheim Bilbao for the tenth anniversary exhibition. The most knowledgeable in the art establishment gave me no reason to doubt the paintings.”

Rosales has been charged in the case and reports say that 73-year-old Chinese-American painter Pei-Shen Qian made the fakes. He was only paid a few thousand dollars for each forgery.

Legal experts warn that the statutes of limitations are running out on these art sales, which transpired over the course of 15 years. Some buyers may not have much legal recourse,  insulating Freedman and Knoedler from further litigation.