Sotheby's due diligence leads to jail for antiquities fraud

Andrew Crowley, aged 46, received a two-year prison sentence after admitting to fraud through false representation. He attempted to auction three Cycladic figures and an Anatolian stargazer statuette at Sotheby’s in London, utilizing counterfeit provenance documents. In October 2022, Sotheby’s notified the Metropolitan Police’s Art and Antiques Unit upon discovering discrepancies. Crowley was apprehended outside Sotheby’s in July 2023 and subsequently sentenced at Southwark Crown Court in May 2026. While the items could have been valued at £500,000 if genuine, the judge lowered the estimate to £340,000. Additionally, Crowley must complete 200 hours of community service and cover £1,630 in costs. Forensic investigations revealed that the forged invoices, dated 1976 and addressed to John Crowley from K.J. Hewett Limited, used printer technology not available in that era. Detective Constable Ray Swan commended Sotheby’s employees for their vigilance in thwarting the fraud, and Angelina Giovani-Agha from Be My Source highlighted the critical nature of provenance research. This case is reminiscent of previous UK art frauds involving Shaun Greenhalgh, John Myatt, and John Drewe.