New Jersey Man, Daughter Admit to $2M Art Fraud

What was claimed to be a Warhol turned out not to be authentic, and that was only the beginning, according to prosecutors. A father and daughter from New Jersey admitted in federal court Tuesday that they carried out a yearslong scheme selling more than 200 counterfeit artworks falsely attributed to well-known artists such as Andy Warhol, Andrew Wyeth, Banksy, and Pablo Picasso. Authorities say the operation brought in over 2 million dollars.

Prosecutors said many of the works were created in Poland and then sold in the United States with fake ownership histories and forged gallery stamps designed to make them appear legitimate. Erwin Bankowski, 50, and his daughter Karolina Bankowska, 26, were described by US Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. as presenting themselves as fine art dealers while deceiving buyers with fraudulent pieces.

Both pleaded guilty and are expected to receive sentences of about three years in prison. After serving their time, they will likely be deported to Poland. Prosecutors said the pair placed counterfeit works through galleries and auction houses across the country. Among the sales was a Banksy style anti Iraq war piece that sold for 2,000 dollars and a fake painting attributed to Raimonds Staprans that brought in 60,000 dollars.

New York City art dealer Robert Rogal told NPR that Bankowska approached his gallery last year with what she claimed was a family heirloom signed by Wyeth. He said the background of the piece was somewhat unclear, but she appeared believable and the work was not obviously fake.

The case also includes a rare federal charge tied to falsely marketing artwork as Native American made. One example cited by prosecutors was a forged landscape attributed to Richard Mayhew that sold for 160,000 dollars, the highest price in the scheme.

Defense attorneys said both defendants accept responsibility, with one lawyer describing Bankowski’s actions as a serious mistake made in an effort to support his family.

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