Greek Police Arrest 3 Accused of Faking and Selling at Auction Scores of Artworks

 The Parthenon temple is reflected in a puddle, while people visit the Ancient Acropolis archaeological site in Athens, Greece, December 3, 2024. (Reuters)
The Parthenon temple is reflected in a puddle, while people visit the Ancient Acropolis archaeological site in Athens, Greece, December 3, 2024. (Reuters)
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Greek Police Arrest 3 Accused of Faking and Selling at Auction Scores of Artworks

 The Parthenon temple is reflected in a puddle, while people visit the Ancient Acropolis archaeological site in Athens, Greece, December 3, 2024. (Reuters)
The Parthenon temple is reflected in a puddle, while people visit the Ancient Acropolis archaeological site in Athens, Greece, December 3, 2024. (Reuters)

Three people have been arrested in northern Greece on suspicion of systematically counterfeiting works by leading Greek artists and selling them as originals through an online auction house, police said Friday.

A police statement said the arrests were carried out Wednesday on the eve of a live internet sale of 123 paintings and sculptures by the auctioneers, who were based in the northern city of Thessaloniki.

An art expert from Greece's National Gallery who examined the works found that all 123 were "clearly" forgeries, the police statement said.

Officers raided the auction house premises and four locations where paintings were allegedly forged, and seized more than 800 other artworks whose authenticity and provenance are under investigation.

Based on the sale estimates, authorities said Thursday's planned auction was expected to have raised between 288,000 and 398,000 euros ($305,000 and 421,000).

The artworks to be sold included paintings by deceased 20th-century artists Yannis Gaitis, Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghikas and Alekos Fassianos, according to the auction catalogue. Their work is highly popular among collectors and can command prices that run into five figures.

The three suspects, two men aged 70 and 62 and a 42-year-old woman, were charged Friday with repeated acts of forgery, as well as receiving and trying to sell products of crime.



13,040 New Sites Recorded in Saudi National Urban Heritage Register

13,040 New Sites Recorded in Saudi National Urban Heritage Register
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13,040 New Sites Recorded in Saudi National Urban Heritage Register

13,040 New Sites Recorded in Saudi National Urban Heritage Register

The Saudi Heritage Commission has registered 13,040 new urban heritage sites in the National Urban Heritage Register, increasing the number of documented sites in Saudi Arabia to 17,495.
The commission is committed to preserving and managing urban heritage sites with high efficiency, emphasizing their cultural significance, and raising public awareness about their importance, SPA reported.
The newly registered sites are found in various regions: 1,950 in Riyadh, 3,273 in Madinah, 1,531 in Al-Baha, 1,525 in Hail, 1,400 in Qassim, 972 in Aseer, 762 in the Eastern Region, 571 in Makkah, 363 in Al-Jouf, 351 in Jazan, 200 in Najran, 107 in Tabuk, and 35 in the Northern Borders.
The Heritage Commission continues to identify and register urban heritage sites throughout the Kingdom. This process is guided by the Antiquities, Museums and Urban Heritage Law, which facilitates research and the discovery of heritage sites, employing advanced global technologies and practices to preserve, document, and protect them.
The commission is also creating a comprehensive database of heritage sites to ensure their effective management.
Citizens and stakeholders are encouraged to report urban heritage sites and buildings for registration on the Heritage Commission’s official platforms, including its online service portal at https://contactcenter.moc.gov.sa, its official X (formerly Twitter) account, and its regional branches.
The commission underscored the vital role of public awareness and community participation in preserving and enhancing the Kingdom’s heritage.