Thirteen people have been arrested in a major police operation in Athens, after members of an art trafficking ring attempted to sell a forged Pablo Picasso painting for 25 million euros.
The sting, organized by the police’s Department for the Protection of Cultural Heritage and Antiquities, took place at a residence in Elliniko, where undercover officers posed as buyers.
The suspects had approached a businessman, claiming to possess an original Picasso depicting a female figure. Acting on intelligence, police staged the operation, arresting the suspects during the meeting. Authorities also thwarted a separate attempted sale involving two fake works attributed to Jackson Pollock, a Monet painting and three religious icons, valued at €100,000.
Subsequent searches at warehouses in Pangrati and Menidi uncovered a vast cache of counterfeit artworks and antiquities. Among the items seized were forged pieces allegedly by Van Gogh, Theophilos, Gaitis and Tsarouchis; over 2,000 ancient coins; religious icons; and €66,000 in cash.
A painter previously arrested in 2023 for a similar case is among those in custody. Police also found forged certificates of authenticity, art tools and documents linked to prominent collectors and institutions.
The investigation is ongoing, with charges pending for fraud, forgery and cultural heritage violations.
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