Fraudster trying to sell fake ancient statues to Sotheby’s foiled over bogus invoices
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Published 5/23/2026, 7:00:23 AM · Updated 5/23/2026, 1:55:53 PMBy TheBriefWire Editorial Team
Key points
- A fraudster who tried to sell fake ancient statues to Sotheby’s was foiled when his bogus accompanying paperwork was found to be written with printing methods that were 25 years too modern, a court has heard.
- View image in fullscreen Andrew Crowley, 46, of Longwell Green, Gloucestershire Andrew Crowley, 46, asked the auctioneers to value three Cycladic figures and one Anatolian stargazer statuette that he had inherited from his grandfather, Southwark crown court in London was told on Friday.
- Prosecutors alleged that, if real, the items collectively would have been worth about £680,000 based on previous sales.
- However, Judge Rimmer said that estimate hinged on multiple hypotheticals and therefore reduced the value to £340,000. Crowley, of Longwell Green, Gloucestershire, had presented spurious invoices for the statues that purported to be written in 1976, using a typewriter on paper embossed with an antique’s dealers logo and a nine-pence stamp.
- However, his...
Published May 23, 2026.
Quick Summary
A fraudster who tried to sell fake ancient statues to Sotheby’s was foiled when his bogus accompanying paperwork was found to be written with printing
Why It Matters
This development is important because it may impact public opinion, policy decisions, and future developments related to Fraudster trying to sell fake ancient statues to Sotheby’s f.
Key Takeaways
- A fraudster who tried to sell fake ancient statues to Sotheby’s was foiled when his bogus accompanying paperwork was found to be written with printing methods that were 25 years too modern, a court has heard.
- View image in fullscreen Andrew Crowley, 46, of Longwell Green, Gloucestershire Andrew Crowley, 46, asked the auctioneers to value three Cycladic figures and one Anatolian stargazer statuette that he had inherited from his grandfather, Southwark crown court in London was told on Friday.
- Prosecutors alleged that, if real, the items collectively would have been worth about £680,000 based on previous sales.
- However, Judge Rimmer said that estimate hinged on multiple hypotheticals and therefore reduced the value to £340,000.
- Crowley, of Longwell Green, Gloucestershire, had presented spurious invoices for the statues that purported to be written in 1976, using a typewriter on paper embossed with an antique’s dealers logo and a nine-pence stamp.
📌 Source: The Guardian
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