http://www.museumbeveiliging.com/2008/03/22/kunsthandelaar-michel-van-rijn-z
ou-witwassen/ [in Dutch]
Amsterdam art dealer Michel van Rijn is suspected of involvement in an
international conspiracy being investigated by British and American
authorities. Earlier this year Van Rijn was arrested and interrogated in
London by Scotland Yard. He was released on bail Friday.
He allegedly certified artworks in three cases with a false certificate of
origin or provenance. The extent of the conspiracy is not clear. But
according to a British source who is closely involved in the investigation,
the scandal may result in 'great harm to the international arts and
antiquities trade.'
Central to the investigation is London investment firm Aitco, which financed
acquisition of works of art by Van Rijn . Aitco last year placed two very
valuable archaeological items in an auction at Christie's New York, for
which Van Rijn had provided a false provenance. According to an official
statement from Scotland Yard six suspects were arrested, including the
manager of Aitco. "The arrests took place after a two year investigation of
the ring, which is suspected to have falsified the origin of stolen works of
art, which they claimed that they had inherited."
The investigation developed rapidly when an auction alerted police because
of doubts surrounding the origin of two valuable archaelogical objects
offered for sale on June 8 of last year at Christie's in New York: a
Byzantine lamp from the sixth century and a Byzantine mosaic from the fifth
century.
The mosaic, estimated at between 100,000 and 150,000 dollars, did not reach
its estimate, but the lamp was sold for 84,000 dollars. In the catalogue of
Christie's was stated that the lamp came from the "Wieseman collection,
Berlin, 1930s'. To ensure that it is not a reproduction the buyer at
Christie's was asked for additional information. "When we discovered that
there were problems surrounding the origin of the documents, we notified
authorities," said spokesman Keith Carlisle. The Dutch assistant to Van
Rijn, 38-year-old Amsterdam coin dealer Arthur Brand, is suspected of
involvement in the scam.
Brand admits that he made a false statement to a London notary. "That
happened because we were threatened by Aitco. Then we reported the case to
Scotland Yard."
.
Dave Welsh
Unidroit-L Listowner
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Unidroit-L
dwelsh46@cox.net
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