Italian police have dismantled a major European criminal network responsible for the forgery and selling of artworks by renowned modern artists. They recovered more than 2,100 forged pieces attributed to artists including Banksy, Andy Warhol, and Pablo Picasso.
Authorities arrested 38 individuals in connection with the operation, uncovering six forgery workshops in the process. These workshops included two in Tuscany, one in Venice, and others elsewhere in Europe. The seized forgeries had an estimated potential market value of €200 million.
The suspects face charges of conspiracy to handle stolen goods, forgery, and illegal sale of artworks, according to a joint statement from the Carabinieri cultural protection squad and the Pisa prosecutors’ office.
The investigation began in 2023 after authorities seized approximately 200 fake artworks from the collection of a businessman in Pisa, including a forged drawing attributed to Italian painter Amedeo Modigliani. Raids conducted in Italy, Spain, and Belgium revealed further fake artworks attributed to over 30 celebrated artists, including Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, Salvador Dali, Henry Moore, Gustav Klimt, Joan Mirò, Jackson Pollock, and Francis Bacon.
Pisa Chief Prosecutor Teresa Angela Camelio remarked this is likely the “biggest act of protection” of Banksy’s estate to date. Known worldwide, Banksy’s identity remains officially unknown. His artworks have frequently been targeted by criminals, including the theft of his *Girl with Balloon* piece in London last September.
Warhol’s works have also faced criminal interest recently, with two pieces stolen earlier this month during a break-in at a Dutch gallery.
Italian former culture undersecretary and art critic, Victor Sgabi, potentially faces trial for stealing and altering a piece of artwork.
