Court Sentences British Man Over Forgeries Submitted to Sotheby's
Andrew Crowley admitted fraud after presenting fabricated documentation to support the sale of four purported antiquities through the London auction house
Andrew Crowley and the fake Cycladic figurines, which he attempted to sell along with a forged Anatolian stargazer statuette. He claimed to have inherited them from his grandfather Photo: courtesy Metropolitan Police
A London court has sentenced a 46-year-old man to two years in prison after he admitted attempting to sell four purported antiquities through Sotheby's using forged provenance documents.
Andrew Crowley pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation after claiming he had inherited three Cycladic stone figures and an Anatolian "stargazer" statuette from his grandfather. He submitted documentation intended to establish the objects' ownership history as part of a proposed sale through Sotheby's London.
The auction house contacted the Metropolitan Police's Art and Antiques Unit in October 2022 after identifying inconsistencies in the paperwork. Crowley was arrested outside Sotheby's in July 2023 and later sentenced at Southwark Crown Court.
The prosecution focused on the forged provenance rather than the authenticity of the objects. Police investigators, working with the FBI, concluded that the documents had been produced using printer technology unavailable in the 1970s, while the typeface used was not developed until 2001. Research also found discrepancies in the purported ownership history.
Although expert evidence indicated the figures were unlikely to be ancient, the court reportedly accepted that Crowley believed they were genuine. Prosecutors estimated the objects could have been worth as much as £500,000 if authentic, though the judge placed their potential value at £340,000.
Crowley was also ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and pay £1,630 in costs.
Detective Constable Ray Swan of the Metropolitan Police said the case demonstrated the importance of cooperation between the art trade and law enforcement, adding that Sotheby's due diligence had been instrumental in preventing the alleged fraud.
Related content
Sid Motion Gallery to Close After Ten Years in London
Valerie Hillings to Lead Guggenheim Abu Dhabi
Francisco Correa Cordero, Founder of Lubov, Dies
News
Sid Motion Gallery to Close After Ten Years in London
The South Bermondsey gallery will close this autumn, with founder Sid Motion saying its financial position no longer allows it to support its artists
Valerie Hillings to Lead Guggenheim Abu Dhabi
The North Carolina Museum of Art director returns to the project she helped shape for almost a decade ahead of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi's opening in December
Francisco Correa Cordero, Founder of Lubov, Dies
The Mexico City-born dealer founded New York gallery Lubov in 2016, building a reputation for championing emerging artists and experimental practices
Basquiat Works at Centre of Vancouver Fraud Lawsuit
A multimillion-dollar art collection including works by Jean-Michel Basquiat and Javier Calleja is at the centre of an ongoing lawsuit linked to the collapse of Vancouver property developer Coromandel Properties
Campaigners Fight to Keep CCA Archive Intact
Creative Scotland is exploring ways to preserve the archive of Glasgow's former Centre for Contemporary Arts after campaigners warned the collection should not be treated as a liquidatable asset
.JPG%3F2026-08-03T13%3A56%3A07.102Z&w=3840&q=100)
Royal Museums Greenwich Workers Vote to Strike
Prospect union members will strike on 11 and 12 August over pay and working conditions
Trump Orders Smithsonian Signage to Warn of Political Bias
The White House alleges that the Smithsonian and the NMAH “have directed the museum’s mission... toward extreme political activism, rooted in Marxism, to divide, dispirit and discourage Americans”
Gagosian Scales Back in London and Basel
The exits are the latest in a series of mega-galleries downsizing, including Pace’s layoffs earlier this year and David Zwirner’s Manhattan departure
National Gallery Security Staff Segregated From Other Employees, Curator Claims
Outsourced security staff are being separated from other employees like “second class citizens”, a senior curator claims
_(14824992079).jpg%3F2026-07-31T14%3A31%3A56.766Z&w=3840&q=100)
Asper Family Pauses Support of Canadian Museum for Human Rights Following Palestine Exhibition
The lawyer and media magnate Izzy Asper was instrumental in setting up the museum when it was founded in 2008
Bogota Biennial Announces Curatorial Team for its Second Edition
The second biennial will explore the ecosystems of the Colombian capital city, and will take place in September 2027
V&A Storehouse Staff Vote Overwhelmingly in Support of Strike Action
100% of voters backed strike action concerning inadequate toilet and hydration breaks, with a total turnout of nearly 88%
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter
Intel on the art market. Straight to your inbox.
