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Artworks: the African art market falls victim to scams
(France2)
Several African art buyers have recently turned to the police, claiming to have been deceived by sellers. Walking in a well-known Parisian neighborhood for collectors, it only took a few minutes for the journalists of France Télévisions to be approached by a seller.
In the heart of Paris, Rue des Beaux Arts is a well-known area for collectors and art lovers. Here, galleries follow one another, and behind the shop windows, ancient art objects from Africa attract attention. France Télévisions journalists strolled through the neighborhood. After spending a few minutes in front of the shop windows, they were approached by a man who offered to buy African artworks. Several sellers like him were out in the area that day. The gallery owners know them well.
Justice has taken up the subject
Recently, several buyers have turned to the police, claiming to have been deceived by these sellers. According to Colonel Hubert Percie du Sert, head of the central office for combating trafficking in cultural goods, the scam is well organized. Justice has taken up the subject. In February 2024, 11 defendants were summoned to the Bobigny (Seine-Saint-Denis) court in connection with a large-scale scam in the African art world. The estimated damage is over one million euros.
#marché #lart #africain #victime #descroqueries
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