Fake art TV auctioneer sentenced to five years
- Published
A US TV auctioneer who helped to sell $20m (£12.7m) in forged art, including fake Picassos and Dali, has been sentenced to five years in prison.
James Mobley, 63, on-air auctioneer for the Fine Art Treasures Gallery, admitted conspiracy to defraud in a Los Angeles court.
The show ran twice a week on satellite channels from 2002 to 2006.
Firm owners Gerald Sullivan and wife Kristine Eubanks have been sentenced to four and seven years respectively.
They reportedly claimed to be selling genuine works found in real estate liquidations and forged certificates of authenticity for some pieces, according to reports.
The auction show was aired on DirecTV and the Dish Network.
Prosecutors said the gallery sold fakes to more than 10,000 US customers.