In 1994 a woman previously unknown in the world of fine art walked into one of the oldest and most revered galleries in New York City. She carried under her arm a previously unknown masterpiece by Mark Rothko, one of fine arts most sought after mid-century masters. So began a relationship that would last 17 years and involve dozens of paintings that brought in more than 80 million dollars. But they were all fake. The resulting fallout would shock art world and see the once vaunted Knoedler Gallery closed overnight and the perpetrators under federal indictment. Join host Alec Baldwin for season one of ART FRAUD as we investigate the rise and fall of The Knoedler Gallery.
Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Episode Transcript
The art world. It is essentially a money laundering business.
The best fakes are still hanging on people's walls. You know,
they don't even know or suspect that their face. I'm
Alec Baldwin and this is a podcast about deception, greed
and forgery in the art world. I just walked in
and saw this bright red painting presuming to be a rothko.
(00:26):
Of course, art forgeries only happen because there's money to
be made, a lot of money. I'm listening to how
what they're paying for these things. It was an incredible
man of money. We sent him a check for one million,
one thousand, but he said to us that he thought
the picture was now worth three million, and he was
(00:47):
gonna sue us for that much money. The art market
is ripe for cons because it's inherently subjective. I just
couldn't even look at it because as it was so
garish and so not by Rothkoe. You've got to prove
that the paintings are fake, and you've got to prove
(01:08):
that someone who sold them knew that they were fake.
There were an unusually large number of prominent people who
seemingly were going to stand by the paintings and say
that they were real. You knew the painting was fake. UM.
Listen to Art Fraud on the I Heart Radio app,
(01:30):
Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Popular Podcasts
CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist
It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.