Posted on 06/01/2022 7:25:41 PM PDT by simpson96
Florida art dealer Daniel Elie Bouaziz has been charged with wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering for allegedly selling fake works attributed to such big names as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, Banksy, Henri Matisse, Keith Haring, and Roy Lichtenstein.
News of Bouraziz’s alleged illegal activities first came to light when the FBI raided one of his Palm Beach galleries, Danieli Fine Art, in December. He also owns Galerie Danieli; both businesses are located on Worth Avenue, which has become a hot spot for prestigious international art galleries in the wealthy Florida enclave.
Galerie Danieli stood out from its white-cube, blue-chip neighbors. It was decorated with velvet ropes, a red carpet, and over-the-top crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Art was hung salon-style alongside large television monitors displaying NFT drops.
When Artnet News visited in December, just days ahead of the raid, a gallery employee sternly reprimanded us for taking photographs.
Authorities believe many of the forgeries are cheap reproductions with fake seals of authenticity—like a “Basquiat” that Bouaziz stands accused of having bought on LiveAuctioneers for $495 before flipping it to an undercover FBI agent for $12 million.
“Provenance is father of Basquiat so there is not really a conversation about it,” Bouaziz reportedly assured the buyer. According to the FBI, a former member of Basquiat’s now-defunct authentication committee identified the work as a fake. The work was part of a collection that included cheap imitations of Banksy, Haring, and Georgia O’Keeffe on offer for $22 million.(snip)
Bouaziz appeared in West Palm Beach court on Friday, and was released on $500,000 bail. He has yet to enter a plea.
Each of the four charges Bouaziz faces could lead up to 20 years behind bars and a fine of $250,000 to $500,000.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.artnet.com ...
well thank gawd the FBI is johnny-on-the-spot and catching bad guys...
it’s not like they’ve got a massive nationwide election fraud ring to bust or anything
hell, they could at least spare an agent to deal with the pedo who forgot his laptop of evidence which fell into the FBIs lap...
nah... they’re too busy arresting right-wing tourists, ring-wing moms, and shoddy forgers
I wouldn’t pay ten bucks for a Basquiat painting. Weird crap. My late uncle had one and it looked like the painter was on LSD when he did it.
I knew of a 'Fine Art' dealer who was a complete scumbag. Made a crapton of money though. His dealership fell out, his partner absconded with a lot of the 'art' and all the money.
He's rich again, via fake 'supplements' you see at gas stations.
Complete con-artist.
Orson Welles did a movie “F is for Fake” on the topic back in the 70s
He also tried to sell, as a package with the Basquiat, three fake Fabrage Eggs.
It’s another example of a person putting all his Eggs in one Basquiat.
You forgot bees are fishes. Saw that story on Free Republic yesterday.
Art is never worth more that $500.
*applause*
Florida Man, Florida Man,
Selling fake art whenever he can!
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