Inigo Philbrick misrepresented the ownership of and fraudulently traded in works by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Yayoi Kusama, and others.
art crimes
Golden Toilet Heist Becomes Fodder for New Art Insurance Campaign
Arte Generali saw a solid gold opportunity to penetrate the Italian art market, poking fun at the theft of Maurizio Cattelan’s gold toilet in its new campaign.
The Charges Against a Notorious Suspected Smuggler of Indian Artifacts
Last month, Subhash Kapoor was charged with 86 felony counts for allegedly looting $145 million in antiquities over the last 50 years. This month, his former clients continue to reel from the revelations as more stolen artifacts are returned.
Serial Art Thief, Who Stole Nearly 250 Artworks, Arrested Yet Again
His mother has destroyed almost 100 art objects to minimize evidence of the stolen goods.
Theft of Terracotta Warrior Thumb Provokes Fierce Response from China
An unnamed Chinese official wants the perpetrator to be punished — and says the museum should pay for failing to protect priceless artifacts.
Artist Zwelethu Mthethwa Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Murder
“The courts need to send a clear message to tackle the scourge of gender-based violence,” said Judge Patricia Goliath when she delivered the sentence.
Gardner Museum Doubles Reward to $10M for Return of Art Stolen in 1990
The museum’s board of trustees hopes the sum will lead to the return of the 13 works stolen in 1990, which are collectively valued at over $500 million.
Florida Art Thief Drives Stolen Car 1,000 Miles to Ask Obama for Pardon
Miami resident and confessed art thief Marcus Sanford Patmon was arrested on Wednesday after driving a stolen car to Arlington, Virginia, where “he was looking to be pardoned by the Obama administration before the Trump administration came in,” according to an Arlington Police Department spokesperson.
The Art of Cady Noland as Poison Pill
Cady Noland has reportedly stirred up a kerfuffle around the sale of her work to a major collector.
Detroit Police Issue Felony Arrest Warrant for Shepard Fairey
The street artist Shepard Fairey may get a lot of laughs when he visits Portland, but if he sets foot in Detroit anytime soon things will get very serious.
What ISIS Destroys, Why, and Why We Must Document It
The destruction at the Mosul Museum raises questions about why certain items were destroyed, while others were spared.
Crimes of the Art
On this week’s art crime blotter: Brothers trying to offload fake Goya get conned, gallery manager siphons off $450,000 from Botero sale, and French thieves make off with the King of Siam’s crown.