Miami Dealer Leslie Roberts Gets 46 Months for Counterfeit Warhol Sales

On October 2, Leslie Roberts, the previous owner of Miami Fine Art Gallery, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for his involvement in selling fake Andy Warhol paintings. This verdict followed his guilty plea on June 10 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, where he acknowledged over $2.5 million in fraudulent transactions. Charges related to money laundering were dismissed. Roberts utilized forged documents to mislead buyers into believing the artworks were genuine. His co-conspirator, Carlos Miguel Rodriguez Melendez, who pretended to be an employee of Phillips auction house, pleaded guilty last year and was given probation. Defense attorney Jason Wandner described the sentence as "fair and reasonable." Additionally, a civil lawsuit from collector Richard Perlman, alleging $6.7 million in fraud, was resolved outside of court after a Christie's appraisal confirmed the forgeries.