Paris prosecutors seek trial for Giuliano Ruffini over allegedly forged Old Master paintings

Paris prosecutors have asked that Giuliano Ruffini be sent to trial on charges of commercial deception and money laundering in connection with an alleged Old Master forgery network, and they also seek to renew an arrest warrant for Italian painter Lino Frongia, described as “on the run” in Italy. Prosecutors Clémence Radafshar and Marianne Frochot recommended dropping the most serious “gang fraud” charge for technical reasons while pursuing the other counts, and they also want intermediaries Jean-Charles Méthiaz and Michaël Tordjmann, plus Ruffini’s son Mathieu, to face related charges. A judge is expected to confirm the indictment in the coming weeks, and a trial could be scheduled as early as 2027. The case has drawn in institutions including the Louvre, the National Gallery in London, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and prosecutors cite 13 works retained as fakes after forensic examinations, including a seized “Cranach” Venus linked to Ruffini since 2016.

Read the full article at The Art Newspaper - International art news and events