Los Angeles Art Dealer Accused of Fraud

FBI investigators targeted a Los Angeles art dealer for selling a Pablo Picasso painting, “La Femme Au Chapeau Bleu,” to an art collector for $2 million. According to a federal criminal complaint filed in district court, the art dealer purportedly arranged to have the painting re-created by an art restorer, and then sold the painting as original to a collector. James Spertus successfully defended the art dealer against these charges and obtained probation in a $2 million real loss case.