COCONUT GROVE, FLA. (WSVN) – A Miami art dealer and his alleged accomplice are facing federal charges after prosecutors say they sold forged Andy Warhol artworks through a Coconut Grove gallery, using fake invoices and fraudulent authentications to deceive buyers and launder hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Leslie Roberts, 62, of Miami, and Carlos Miguel Rodriguez Melendez, 37, of Sunny Isles, were indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, with Roberts is also facing a money laundering charge, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Thursday.
According to the indictment, Roberts operated the Miami Fine Art Gallery on Commodore Plaza, where he falsely represented artwork as original pieces by Warhol.
FBI agents conducted a raid on the gallery Wednesday afternoon, with 7News cameras capturing them as they removed artwork and other pieces from the gallery, placing them into a white van parked outside.
Prosecutors say Roberts claimed the pieces were acquired directly from the Andy Warhol Foundation and issued fraudulent invoices to bolster the lie.
Rodriguez Melendez allegedly posed as an employee of a New York-based auction house to authenticate the fake works.
Federal prosecutors say Roberts transferred proceeds from the scheme from the gallery’s bank account to his personal account, including transactions of $150,000, $40,000, and $50,000.
Both men were arrested Wednesday and appeared in federal court before being released on bond.
An arraignment hearing is scheduled for April 21.
If convicted, each faces up to 20 years in prison for the wire fraud conspiracy.
Roberts faces an additional 10 years if convicted of money laundering.
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