The verdict on the "case Jeghers': German Ostap Bender was six years
ARTinvestment.RU   28 октября 2011

Ended the trial of a group of swindlers who sold millions Collection of fakes. Poddelschiki paintings by Ernst, Leger and Campendonk pleaded guilty

ended the trial of a group of swindlers who sold millions of fakes collection . The main accused, Wolfgang Beltrakki, was sentenced to six years in prison - said Russian service of Deutsche Welle.

Two months after the controversial trial of a group of scammers, fake paintings of famous artists and were selling these fakes, the judge rendered the verdict Cologne. The main accused, 60-year-old Wolfgang Beltrakki (Wolfgang Beltracci), a sort of modern German Ostap Bender, was six years old, his accomplice Otto Schulte-Kellinghaus (Otto Schulte-Kellinghaus) - five, his wife Helena Beltrakki - four years in prison. Sister Helen, least of all involved in this case, probation for one year and nine months.

Such relatively light sentences were handed down because the defendants have decided to confess and not to delay the process (otherwise we would For example, to call witnesses to two hundred!). Moreover, the recognition of fraud were extremely colorful. Particularly expressive speech was the main accused in court. "My regret is not so great", - stated Wolfgang Beltrakki with dignity. Yes, fake pictures, which resulted in all four of the dock, he personally wrote. For this he was "deeply accustomed to the creative method" of each of the artists whom he "imitated," whether it is Max Ernst (Max Ernst), Andre Derain, Kees van Dongen or Campendonk Henry (Heinrich Campendonk).

«I was writing those pictures, which are lacking in the legacy of these artists, I think up until the end of their thoughts," - said proudly Beltrakki. It is no accident in the authenticity of paintings by leading experts believe. The defendant asked the court for pathos only one thing: not to punish severely the women who, if not he, "would never have come into conflict with the law." Oh, what generosity! King of Hearts - poddelschik Wolfgang Beltrakki.

defendants' lawyers quickly found common ground with the court, "exchanging" a frank recognition of all four on a relatively light sentences and stop further investigations. In the latter clearly had an interest and a certain group of "victims" - namely, some auction houses in Europe, experts and collectors. After all, they are exposed to ridicule.

Back in the 80s Beltrakki Wolfgang began to paint "in style" classic modern masters expensive. Stuffed his hand, he put on stream production and marketing masterpieces. The work went smoothly and professionally in the markets bought the old frame and canvas, were forged stamp galleries, and the purchase contract. A talented forger perfectly mastered the techniques and creative manner than a dozen artists.

no less professionally organized and distribution patterns. In order for the origin of such an abundance of masterpieces did not cause doubts, was fabricated legend of the "meeting Jeghers' - a collection that once supposedly collected grandfather of Helena. The marked grandfather, Cologne businessman Werner Jeghers (Werner Jägers), really once existed, although it did not collect paintings. However, the art market is constantly demanding feeding readily swallowed this "duck", which supposedly monitors, in and of itself deserves the title "masterpiece." "It was just absurd, - said in court Beltrakki Helena. - The art market readily accepted us».

Beltrakki Helena, she acknowledged, did not want to "give up the luxurious image life ": the couple had two mansions in Freiburg and in the south of France, and even spouses' nothing currently do not deny." Two other members of the criminal quartet - the sister of Helen Jeannette Belrakki Cyuzanna (Jeanette Susanne) and Otto Schulte-Kellinghaus, whom he met in a pub Beltrakki - assisted in the transportation and sale of paintings and transfer earned millions in accounts in Switzerland and Andorra.

Recall that the crooks were caught on film Campendonk sold in Cologne for a record amount in nearly two and a half million euros. The new owners of a chemical analysis of leaf and found a type of white, did not exist at the time of an imaginary picture. There is still no answer as to why it did not auction house Lempertz, c through which the painting was sold.

In the process, was examined in detail by way of sale to 14 fake paintings. Total investigation was carried out for nearly one hundred paintings, half of the prosecutor's office had reasonable suspicion. However, with the conviction of the accused in the "case Jeghers' investigation of the scandalous case of counterfeit works of art for the entire postwar period terminated.

Author: Anastasia Butsko < /em>
Editor: Marina Borisova