West Hollywood antiques dealer accused of selling fake Picasso for $2 million
A West Hollywood antiques dealer has been charged with selling a fake Picasso drawing for $2 million, officials from the U.S. attorney’s office said today.
Tatiana Khan, 69, owner of the Chateau Allegre gallery on La Cienega Boulevard, allegedly hired an artist to fabricate a 1902 pastel drawing by Picasso called “La Femme Au Chapeau Blue,” or “The Woman in the Blue Hat.”
Khan allegedly told the artist that the real Picasso artwork had been stolen from one of Khan’s clients and that the dealer needed a copy to play a trick that would help catch the thief, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court on Thursday.
Khan paid the artist $1,000, the complaint alleged, and soon after Khan sold the drawing for $2 million, claiming that the painting came from the Malcolm Forbes family estate.
The purchaser became suspicious and contacted a Picasso expert, who concluded the drawing was fake. The FBI was brought in to investigate the case in 2009.
When Khan was contacted by the FBI, the complaint alleged, the gallery owner told the artist not to divulge that she had created the fake Picasso. In Khan’s interview with FBI agents, she said she obtained the drawing from a cosmetologist as collateral for a loan.
The complaint charges Khan with wire fraud, making false statements to the FBI and witness tampering. If convicted, Khan faces a maximum sentence of 45 years in federal prison.
When FBI agents served Khan the summons this morning, agents seized a painting by abstract expressionist artist Willem de Kooning that Khan allegedly purchased with $720,000 received for the sale of the fake Picasso.
Neither Khan nor her attorney could be reached for comment.
--My-Thuan Tran
Photo: West Hollywood antiques dealer Tatiana Khan has been named in a federal fraud case involving the $2-million sale of a fake Pablo Picasso that she allegedly paid an artist $1,000 to fabricate. Credit: U.S. attorney’s office
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EDITOR'S PICKS:
If you buy art from anyone named Tatiana you deserve what you get.
Posted by: Greg | January 08, 2010 at 02:32 PM
Hahaha, I go past this place almost every day. Thats really funny. I'll be sure to visit it in the future.
Posted by: Mark | January 08, 2010 at 02:42 PM
Now that's a real "Khan" artist!!
Posted by: skate | January 08, 2010 at 02:53 PM
What's up with everybody. Who will want to buy a painting that looked like a 10 year old painted it. There is waay better artist these days and yet they get paid less than thos old paintings
Posted by: Kevin | January 08, 2010 at 03:24 PM
Whoever bought the drawing for 2 million dollars is probably doing a William Shatner impression: "Khan!!!!"
Posted by: Liz | January 08, 2010 at 04:16 PM
Who pays 2mil for anything and doesn't verify it's authentic? Hook me up...I have a bridge to sell.
Posted by: NotGood | January 08, 2010 at 04:24 PM
KAAAAAAAAAAAHN!!!
Posted by: James T. Kirk | January 08, 2010 at 04:34 PM
She;ll have 45 years to refine her sales in da Big House!
Posted by: Jimmy | January 08, 2010 at 05:16 PM
Isn't the time to consult the expert _before_ you write the check?
Posted by: mjf | January 08, 2010 at 05:23 PM
Caveat emptor puts the burden on the buyer to assess the quality/authenticity BEFORE buying. Clearly, the buyer didn't do his homework. In any case, if this artist who was "conned by Kahn" is good enough to fake a Picasso, he/she has artistic talent that can stand on its own merits. Too bad the artist was tricked into thinking he/she was doing a good deed, but instead, contributed to the dealer's penchant for fraud and greed.
Posted by: Lou | January 09, 2010 at 03:57 AM
This women has been conning people for years claiming that it is from the Malcolm Forbes Estate, she is being sued by many people that have lost millions with her, why they trusted her is beyond me!
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