Michael Barzman, a former auctioneer, admitted to fabricating and certifying 25 counterfeit Basquiat paintings, which were seized from the Orlando Museum of Art in 2022.
Court documents reveal that Michael Barzman, aged 45, and an accomplice identified only as J.F., manufactured the artworks, which were then falsely presented as previously undiscovered pieces by the groundbreaking artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.
According to the US Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, the duo swiftly produced the counterfeit pieces, which were subsequently sold and circulated within the art market. These forgeries were prominently featured in an exhibition titled “Heroes and Monsters” at a Florida gallery, debuting in February 2022. By June of the same year, the FBI had seized the counterfeit works.
Barzman admitted in his plea agreement that he and J.F. were responsible for creating most of the exhibited pieces. He faced charges of making false statements to the FBI during an interview in August. Barzman opted to plead guilty to the felony as part of a deal and confessed to various aspects of the scheme.
As outlined in the plea agreement, while J.F. primarily executed the art, Barzman, leveraging his background as a former auctioneer, authenticated and facilitated the sale of the counterfeit pieces. Profits from these fraudulent transactions were then split between the two individuals.
Jean-Michel Basquiat, a prominent figure in New York’s East Village art scene during the 1980s, achieved significant acclaim for his artworks, which often command prices in the millions and are prized possessions in numerous celebrity collections.
Barzman and J.F. initiated their forgery operation in 2012 following the formulation of their plan. At the time, Barzman operated an auction business primarily focused on acquiring and reselling items from unpaid storage units. He later admitted to falsely asserting in a notarized document that the counterfeit works had been discovered in a storage unit rented by a well-known screenwriter.
In response to the plea agreement, the Orlando Museum of Art reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining excellence in the visual arts and expressed its anticipation for the Department of Justice to continue its investigation and ensure accountability for those involved. Barzman is anticipated to surrender to federal authorities for an upcoming court appearance. The offense of making false statements to a government agency carries a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.