Paris prosecutors seek trial for Giuliano Ruffini over allegedly forged Old Master paintings
Ruffini has been the focus of an international forgery scandal dating back to 2016
Paris prosecutors have requested that Giuliano Ruffini and his son Mathieu face a trial for alleged commercial deception and money laundering in connection with a ring trafficking forged Old Master paintings. The magistrates also asked for the renewal of an arrest warrant for Lino Frongia, accused of creating some major forgeries, and claimed he is hiding in Italy.
The Paris Prosecutor's Office, Clemence Radafshar and Marianne Frochot, are focusing on money laundering and deception charges, dropping the most serious charges of gang fraud. Mathieu Ruffini has been charged with money laundering in 2022 and was granted €200,000 bail. The indictment will be confirmed in the coming weeks, potentially leading to a trial as early as 2027.
Ruffini's son has previously denied any knowledge of his father's business, but the prosecution maintains he accumulated wealth and assets through the sales of the forgeries. The scandal began in 2016 when a painting of Venus, falsely attributed to Cranach, was seized from the collection of the Prince of Liechtenstein. Over 15 years, 13 works were deemed fakes by the French Museums' laboratory in the Louvre, forensic examinations, and experts like Violaine de Villemereuil and Gunnar Heydenreich. Most of the owners still believe in the authenticity of these pieces.
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