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| Eric I.H. Spoutz giving a lecture, as noted on his facebook page |
According to US Attorney, SDNY website, Eric Ian Hornak Spoutz was arrested today in Los Angeles and charged with fraud in connection with selling dozens of forged artworks. See story here....http://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/michigan-art-dealer-arrested-and-charged-fraud-selling-dozens-forged-artworks-over-five
He has an impressive 11 page resume on his website. I have never seen an 11 page resume. See his web page above. I believe his fraud was so extensive and widespread that he probably believed in his own fraud. Problem is that he was making a fraud and making believe it was real. He should have written fiction and he would not have gotten into trouble. His web site be shut down soon, depending where this case goes....
He seems to be an extremely intelligent individual but that does not stop someone from crossing the line and break the law. He may have spun his own web of disaster.
Will museums and auction houses shut down after this? This looks pretty elaborate to me and I am no art collector. He has deals with the Smithsonian Institution. You can not get more legitimate than that. That is like making a deal with the Vatican. How will the art world recoup from such a disaster?
I wonder if the billionaire art dealer that I sat with in Otisville, Helly Nahmad, had any dealings with Mr. Spoutz?
If he does take a plea and ends up in jail, this is what he can expect....http://www.amazon.com/PRISON-expect-Federal-Bureau-Prisons-ebook/dp/B011GTWLOG
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