Erwin and Karolina B. pleaded guilty to trafficking in counterfeit artworks produced by an unidentified Polish painter over a period of several years, according to reporting by The Guardian. The forgeries often depicted lesser-known works by the artists, a strategy that made detection more difficult.
To further deceive buyers, the pair fabricated stamps from non-existent galleries to lend the works an air of legitimacy.
Each faces up to three years in prison and may be ordered to pay restitution of up to USD 1.9 million. Deportation to Poland is also a possibility for Karolina B. Both apologized in court following their guilty pleas.
The prosecutor said the defendants had for years sold fake paintings to unwitting buyers. "Today's guilty pleas strip away the varnish and reveal the fraud underneath", the prosecutor said.
The investigation was opened in 2023 after representatives of artist Raimonds Staprāns discovered that a forged work had been sold for USD 60,000. Prosecutors believe the scheme may have begun as early as 2020.
An art market researcher at the City University of New York cautioned that the case likely represents only the tip of the iceberg, and that the number of forgeries in circulation could be far greater.
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Source: Polish Radio