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Art Crimes

News that shakes the art world—but may not surprise it. Art fraud, stolen art and more. Return to Arts.

A five-panel Renaissance altarpiece displayed against a gray museum wall, with the Madonna and Child at the center, flanked by saints and two smaller religious scenes above.

A Daring Antonello da Messina Heist Raises New Questions About Museum Security

The lightning-fast theft at MuMe in Messina targeted rare works by the artist, raising new questions about museum security as art values become increasingly visible.
By Elisa Carollo
Exhibition "Really Fake - The Phenomenon of Art Forgery"

When Art Forgeries Are Exposed, the Fakes Don’t Simply Disappear

When a father and daughter pleaded guilty to selling more than 200 counterfeit works by Banksy, Picasso and Warhol, the criminal case was largely resolved. The fate of the paintings is still up in the air.
By Daniel Grant
Greece, Athens, Red-figure kylix depicting a banquet scene

What Collectors Need to Know When Buying Art and Antiquities Abroad

“Many of our dealer and collector clients have had objects seized by Customs after arrival in the U.S. The objects were subject to forfeiture, and all of the importers were subject to civil and criminal penalties depending on the nature of the infraction,” lawyer William G. Pearlstein told Observer.
By Daniel Grant
Stylized Art Deco–inspired illustration of a masked burglar in dark clothing stealing a framed abstract geometric painting, depicted in bold angular lines with deep orange, red, and blue tones.

How to Protect Your Art Collection from Theft, According to the Experts

By Daniel Grant
A hooded, faceless figure sits at a laptop surrounded by orange binary code, symbolizing digital impersonation and online art scams.

Inside the Art World’s Latest Scams: Fake Profiles, Fraudulent Consignments and Digital Impersonation

By Elisa Carollo
A woman sits in shadow on an art gallery bench viewing two well-lit paintings.

An Art Gallery Lost Your Consignment. Now What?

By Daniel Grant
Barry Avrich, a white man with a receding hairline (dark brown) leans on a bar wearing a brown leather jacket in a dark room

Barry Avrich Knows Everybody Loves a Fake

By Noah Berlatsky
A person points to text in an aged, illuminated manuscript resting on a display surface under dim lighting

Hidden Liabilities: How Rare Manuscripts Threaten Institutional Reputations

By Brett Erickson
Woman with blonde hair sits cross legged on couch

The Lisa Schiff Question: Does 2.5 Years in Jail Balance $6.5 Million in Fraud

By Elisa Carollo
Two men dressed with FBI jackets hold a painting to take it out of a gallery

The ‘FBI’ Seized a Stolen Rembrandt in a Gallery Raid; It Was a Movie Promotion Stunt

By Elisa Carollo
Picture of a woman in black dress in front of a bronze ancient Greece helmet.

The Legal Systems Reshaping the Art World: An Interview With Lawyer Leila A. Amineddoleh

By Elisa Carollo
A head of a Buddha statue

When Deaccessioned Art and Antiquities Have Nowhere to Go

By Daniel Grant
Two people kneel at a box containing a statue

A Look Back at Museum Repatriation in 2024

By Daniel Grant
A man in a suit and tie holds a briefcase full of painting supplies

Art Law: How Nations Around the World Deal with Forgeries

By Daniel Grant
Large oil painting depicting the Virgin Mary cradling an infant.

A Twice-Stolen Titian Could Fetch $31M at Auction

By Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly
Painting of diner on street corner

A South Carolina Museum Is Selling ‘Counterfeit’ Art for a Good Cause

By Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

How Museums Acquire Antiquities Is Changing

By Daniel Grant
two colorful prints, both featuring people, set in a side-by-side grid

Art Theft Research: There’s an App for That

By Daniel Grant
Long oil painting with figures and wood scenes

Musée Rolin Helps Return a Nazi-Looted Painting to Its Rightful Owner

By Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly
Woman with blonde hair sits cross legged on couch

Phillips to Bring Lisa Schiff’s Artwork to Auction

By Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly
A cartoon of a thief stealing a painting

In Art Recovery, Cash May Be the Deciding Factor

By Daniel Grant
Woman with long blonde hair stands in art gallery

The Art Collectors Seeking Repayment from Lisa Schiff

By Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly
Three Schiele paintings in a row showing figures against pale backgrounds

The Return of Seven Schiele Works Marks a Turning Point in Nazi-Looted Art Claims

By Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

Did Leo DiCaprio’s Former Art Advisor Exploit the Star’s Name?

By Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly
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