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COCONUT GROVE, FLA. (WSVN) – The Miami Fine Art Gallery on Commodore Plaza was closed Friday after its owner was accused of fraudulently selling art to deceive buyers out of thousands of dollars.
FBI agents were seen conducting a raid at the Coconut Grove gallery on Wednesday. 7News cameras captured agents removing artwork and other pieces from the gallery.
“My whole family has actually purchased pieces from here,” Gaby Cuadra said.
Unbeknownst to clients for the gallery, 62-year-old Leslie Roberts, along with 37-year-old Carlos Miguel Rodriguez Melendez, were selling art they claimed to be original pieces by the renowned artist Andy Warhol, according to the indictment.
Investigators said Roberts went to great lengths to convince clients the artwork he sold was authentic.
“LESLIE HOWARD ROBERTS falsely claimed to victims that he acquired the artwork directly from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts (“AWF”).”
Investigators also said he showed victims fake invoices as proof of authenticity.
“[Roberts] forged authentication documents that were purportedly provided by the Andy Warhol Art Authentication Board, Inc., and allegedly signed by an authorized representative of such board.”
The documents also revealed Roberts received help, conspiring to work with Melendez.
“…to falsely represent CARLOS MIGUEL RODRIGUEZ MELENDEZ and (redacted) as employees of a New York-based auction company, to fraudulently authenticate artwork in order to conceal that the artwork was not created by Andy Warhol and to further the conspiracy.”
Investigators said Roberts received several hundreds of thousands in payment from victims and laundered money from his art gallery to a personal bank account.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced Thursday both men were indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, with Roberts also facing a money laundering charge.
Victims who bought art from the gallery are learning to take extra steps to verify authentication on artwork.
“So, I guess we got to get those checked to see if they’re real, right?” Cuadra said.
An arraignment hearing is scheduled for April 21.
If convicted, each suspect faces up to 20 years in prison for the wire fraud conspiracy.
Roberts faces an additional 10 years if convicted of money laundering.
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