Greek Art Dealer arrested in Forgery Scandal
A Greek art dealer, accused of trafficking forgeries, stolen art, and looted antiquities, was arrested in Athens on Friday.
The Greek Organized Crime Division has arrested Giorgos Tsagarakis and one of his employees and dismantled an extensive network of counterfeit art.
Following a series of coordinated raids in the affluent Athenian districts of Kolonaki, Elliniko, and Glyfada, authorities uncovered a massive cache of illicit goods. The Hellenic Police (ELAS) seized an unprecedented collection of items, including:
- 321 paintings, the vast majority of which were deemed forgeries by the National Gallery
- 4 ancient wooden icons and a sacred Gospel manuscript of unique historical value
- 3 ancient amphorae, a Byzantine pitcher, and various Byzantine-era artifacts
Investigators tracked Tsagarakis after he posted a video on social media showcasing certain items. This footage provided the “smoking gun” needed for the Greek Organized Crime Division to execute the search warrants.
When legitimate art owners recognized that paintings presented in Tsagarakis’ televised auctions did not belong to him the Greek Organized Crime Division started an investigation.
In an official statement, Tsagarakis Gallery denied the allegations. The gallery claims the paintings found in storage were part of the owner’s private family collection, inherited from his parents over forty years ago, and were not intended for sale.
Main Image: Some of the fake artworks recovered by Greek police. Credit: Hellenic Police