Erwin and Karolina Bankowski plead guilty to $2 million art forgery scheme

7 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Apr 30

The New Jersey-based father and daughter admitted in a New York court to commissioning over 200 fake artworks, including forgeries of Warhol, Banksy, and Picasso, and defrauding buyers through major auction houses.
They face over three years in prison, $1.9 million in restitution, and possible deportation to Poland. The most lucrative fake, attributed to Richard Mayhew, sold for $160,000 at DuMouchelles in October 2025.
Prosecutors say the scheme began in 2020, using forged stamps and antique paper to mimic provenance. Experts warn such fraud is common in the art world, with many fakes likely still undetected.

Who was the mystery Polish artist behind 200 forgeries, and will they also face charges?

With $1.9M in restitution ordered, how will defrauded art buyers actually recover their losses?

With the forgers convicted, will the 200 fake paintings now be destroyed or marked forever?

How did a 'too clean' gallery stamp finally unravel a sophisticated $2 million art scam?

Auction houses sold fakes despite warnings. Are they victims or complicit in art market fraud?

Can modern tech like X-ray analysis truly stop the 'classic' art forgery scheme from succeeding again?