Fake drawing, but the real crooks. A man tried to sell the sketch for a self-portrait of Vincent Van Gogh, the man with the pipe , exhibited in Zurich in Switzerland. It is a meticulous ride that has just been discovered in Montpellier, france. While a potential buyer suspected to be the work of being a replica, he then alerted the police officers of public security of the departmental safety of the Hérault. The work is input, and then entrusted to her for expertise. The authorities of Montpellier have appraised the work by a specialist of the question at the musée d’orsay of Paris, who did not hesitate in the face of the work. Van Gogh never made sketch!
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A woman and three men are involved and indicted for attempted organised fraud and criminal association in view of committing an organised fraud. Two men were placed in provisional detention, according to the prosecutor in Montpellier, Christophe Barret. The seller, a Belgian 62-year-old has indicated to investigators that he had a title for the work, before you finally admit that it was a fake title.
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In the case, a couple domiciled in Perpignan, is also accused. A fourth person, in charge of put in relation to the seller with a potential buyer was also apprehended. In total, two of them are already known to the justice, including for cases of fraud.
investigators found several works of art in the home of the seller in belgium. They are in expertise. The negotiations between the potential buyer and seller were already started. They spoke of “several million euros”. The counterfeiters face up to 10 years in prison.
