- Karolina Bankowska, 26, and her father Erwin Bankowski, 50, pleaded guilty to orchestrating an art forgery scheme that defrauded New York City auction houses and buyers of at least $2 million.
- The duo created over 200 fake artworks by renowned artists such as Banksy, Andy Warhol, and Andrew Wyeth, which were forged in Poland using antique paper and fabricated gallery stamps.
- The most profitable fake, a purported work by Richard Mayhew, sold for $160,000, while the scheme also involved misrepresenting Native American–produced goods, specifically works by Luiseño artist Fritz Scholder.
- The Bankowskis, Polish citizens residing in New Jersey, face over three years in prison, $1.9 million in restitution, and potential deportation to Poland.
- The scheme, which began in 2020, came under scrutiny in March 2023 and highlights a prevalent issue of art forgery within the industry, according to art crime experts.
IN FULL