Spain Busts Art Forgery Ring

  • January 20, 2015 11:25

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Historical Heritage Group of the Civil Guard in Spain confiscates counterfeit artworks by Miro, Picasso and Matisse.
Guardia Civil

Three were arrested in Spain for allegedly forging works by Miró, Picasso, and Matisse, El Pais reports. The trio was nabbed in the citites of Zaragoza and Tarragona after an Andorran man was placed under surveillence. Last July police found Miró works in the trunk of his car; experts declared the works fake.

An investigation uncovered nine counterfeits: six attributed to Miró, two to Matisse, and one to Picasso that came with a false certificate of authenticity. The man and his accomplices  have been charged with crimes against intellectual property and fraud.

“Once we collected and processed all the information, we proceeded to the operational phase of the operation, arresting this person and charging two others, including a gallery of art from Zaragoza that allegedly collaborated as an intermediary for the sale of the forgeries,” read a press release issued by the police.

Read more at Hyperallergic

Tags: european art

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