NEW YORK
Federal officials Monday announced the arrest of Angel Pereda for his role in a scheme to sell forged artworks purportedly created by renowned artists, including Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring.
Pereda was arrested in New York last week.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “As alleged, Angel Pereda attempted to sell forgeries of artworks by Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring, among others, as genuine. If real, such works would be worth millions. The alleged fakes have little or no value, except potentially as evidence of the alleged crime. Angel Pereda now faces the prospect of a jury’s appraisal of his alleged conduct.”
FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “As we allege, Mr. Pereda conned art buyers, hoping his victims wouldn’t see the difference between real art and a forgery. He used their trust to his advantage by passing off worthless pieces as priceless works of art. Hopefully, this case provides a lesson to any others hoping to engage in similar behavior – the FBI’s Art Crime Team has the resources to distinguish the real from the fake, and its members will ensure you face the consequences of your actions.”
According to the allegations contained in the complaint unsealed Monday in Manhattan federal, these are the facts and circumstances:
In or about 2020 and 2021, ANGEL PEREDA engaged in a scheme to sell paintings and other artwork that he marketed for sale as having been painted or created by world-famous artists, including Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring, among others.
By knowingly and falsely claiming that these fake works were painted by these famous artists, PEREDA tried to trick purchasers into paying millions of dollars for the fake works, which, as the defendant well knew, were essentially worthless.
To deceive his victims, PEREDA falsified the provenance – that is, the ownership history – of the forged artworks.
On one occasion, PEREDA attempted to facilitate the sale of a painting purportedly by Basquiat, which PEREDA referred to as “Glory Boys Kingdom.”
When told by another individual that a particular false provenance had been detected as fraudulent, PEREDA created and sent to an individual in New York new fraudulent provenances, so that the painting could be sold for millions of dollars.
A photograph of “Glory Boys Kingdom” is below:
PEREDA is also connected to at least three other works of art purportedly by Basquiat and Haring, which have been determined to be fraudulent. Photographs of the pieces are below:
Pereda 49, of Mexico, is charged with one count of wire fraud. He is facing up to 20 years in prison. Pereda is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.