Trial in Innsbruck
Fake pictures sold: Prison sentence for couple
A German couple living in the district of Kitzbühel sold fake prints by Warhol & Co. to various customers for hundreds of thousands of euros - trial for serious commercial fraud.
In keeping with their status, the accused couple (aged 65 and 60) once drove up in a Porsche and invented company homepages complete with "employee" photos from the Internet. "Yes, in the art scene you have to present a certain standard in order to be taken seriously at all," explained defense lawyer Markus Abwerzger.
There have also been legal sales. It's not as if there was an intention to defraud right from the start.
Verteidiger Markus Abwerzger
59 paintings for 670,000 euros for one buyer
For years, the German couple living in the Tyrolean district of Kitzbühel managed to keep up appearances: they successfully sold fake (actually limited edition) prints by famous artists. For example, one collector was sold 59 pictures by the scene great Gerhard Richter for 670,000 euros. An auction house bought a fake reprint of Andy Warhol, complete with the pop-up world star's forged signature.
"Cheap" procurement method
The reprints were often procured quite simply via the website "myposter.de". The amount of damage can no longer be reconstructed, but it is likely to be around 700,000 euros. The motive given by the man was that he was in financial difficulties due to failed gold speculation, which also ended in a previous conviction. He was sentenced to 24 months' imprisonment - already legally binding. His wife and accomplice received 21 months (14 suspended). She was therefore released immediately - after a final hug.
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