Pablo Picasso once proclaimed, "we all know that art is not truth." When it comes to the world of fine art these days, truer words may have never be spoken.

Thanks to advances in global communication and technology, fine art forgeries have become big business. Currently, the FBI estimates that art theft, fraud, looting, and trafficking across state and international lines is a "looming criminal enterprise with estimated losses running as high as $6 billion annually." Indeed, crimes against art have become so popular that the FBI has a dedicated "Art Crime Team" comprised of 13 Special Agents responsible for investigating art crime and bringing criminals to justice.

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You probably read that you can get a Masters in art crime (if not, you can read it here) Law school instructor and fellow art law blogger Derek Fincham wrote an excellent letter in response, estimating that:  

If we were to collect all of the stolen works of art into one museum, that museum of art theft would easily eclipse the Met or the Louvre or any of the World’s great museums. 

Alas, he NY Times didn’t publish it, but you can read his response and letter here.

Chicago Art Law Lawyer & Attorney of Bryan Cave Law Firm, offering services related to art gallery law, art reproduction, public art law, exhibitions & expositions, art sales, consignment and art dealer agreements, serving Chicago, New York, Paris, London, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, France and the United Kingdom.