The article highlights the shocking and complex case of an art fraud case involving a math teacher turned master forger, Pei Shen Qian. At the center of the story is Ann Freedman, who was the director of Knoedler, one of New York City’s most prestigious art galleries, when the gallery was engulfed in a scandal over her handling of a large-scale fake art scandal.
Freedman has denied any wrongdoing but admitted she was “hooked” by Pei Shen Qian’s sales tactics. The case involves Pei Shen Qian, who used his former career as a busboy to get started in the art world, selling fakes under aliases like “Pseudo Beluga Caviar.” He later became involved with a dealer named Glafira Rosales, whom Freedman referred to as “Cheryl,” which is Rosales’ name. Rosales peddled the fakes to Knoedler’s clients without their knowledge or consent.
The art fraud spans over 70 paintings attributed to Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, Robert Motherwell, and Willem de Kooning, with some pieces being so convincing they were accepted by collectors. Rosales herself was sentenced to nine months in prison for her role in the scam, but she maintains her innocence.
Freedman’s website and social media accounts have been inactive since 2023, adding to the mystery surrounding her current whereabouts. The case has become a focal point for discussions on art authenticity and the ethics of dealing with high-profile galleries.
The article concludes by noting that Rosales has yet to fully resolve all legal implications of the scandal, as authorities are still seizing property and property from collectors.
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# Art Forger Yields High-Tech Clues In Knoedler Scandal 🎨
New York Post delves into a dramatic art fraud case involving Pei Shen Qian, a math teacher turned master forger, who duped millions by imitating Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, and others. The scandal stems from an explosion at Knoedler Gallery in 1985, which exposed theForger’s fraudulent methods.
Ann Freedman, once the gallery’s director, remains a central figure in the case despite denying any wrongdoing. She admitted being “hooked” by Pei Shen Qian’s sales tactics. The art world is left pondering how such high-profile galleries managed to overlook theForger’s fraudulent output until now.
The Forger used his former career as a busboy to get started, selling fakes under aliases like “Pseudo Beluga Caviar.” He later became involved with Glafira Rosales, a former dealer who peddled the fakes to Knoedler’s clients without their knowledge. Rosales has since been sentenced to nine months in prison.
Freedman’s website and social media accounts have been inactive since 2023, adding to the mystery surrounding her current whereabouts. The case remains a focal point for discussions on art authenticity and ethics.
TheForger’s victims include collectors who purchased works under Rosales’ alias, often unaware of their falseness. Efforts to find the Forger are ongoing as authorities continue to seize property linked to the scam.
This exposé paints a vivid picture of how art fraud can permeate even the most reputable institutions and the lengths people will go to exploit it for personal gain.
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# Art Forger Yields High-Tech Clues In Knoedler Scandal 🎨
New York Post delves into a dramatic art fraud case involving Pei Shen Qian, a math teacher turned master forger, who duped millions by imitating Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, and others. The scandal stems from an explosion at Knoedler Gallery in 1985, which exposed theForger’s fraudulent methods.
Ann Freedman, once the gallery’s director, remains a central figure in the case despite denying any wrongdoing. She admitted being “hooked” by Pei Shen Qian’s sales tactics. The art world is left pondering how such high-profile galleries managed to overlook theForger’s fraudulent output until now.
The Forger used his former career as a busboy to get started, selling fakes under aliases like “Pseudo Beluga Caviar.” He later became involved with Glafira Rosales, a former dealer who peddled the fakes to Knoedler’s clients without their knowledge. Rosales has since been sentenced to nine months in prison.
Freedman’s website and social media accounts have been inactive since 2023, adding to the mystery surrounding her current whereabouts. The case remains a focal point for discussions on art authenticity and ethics.
TheForger’s victims include collectors who purchased works under Rosales’ alias, often unaware of their falseness. Efforts to find the Forger are ongoing as authorities continue to seize property linked to the scam.
This exposé paints a vivid picture of how art fraud can permeate even the most reputable institutions and the lengths people will go to exploit it for personal gain.
—
# Art Forger Yields High-Tech Clues In Knoedler Scandal 🎨
New York Post delves into a dramatic art fraud case involving Pei Shen Qian, a math teacher turned master forger, who duped millions by imitating Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, and others. The scandal stems from an explosion at Knoedler Gallery in 1985, which exposed theForger’s fraudulent methods.
Ann Freedman, once the gallery’s director, remains a central figure in the case despite denying any wrongdoing. She admitted being “hooked” by Pei Shen Qian’s sales tactics. The art world is left pondering how such high-profile galleries managed to overlook theForger’s fraudulent output until now.
The Forger used his former career as a busboy to get started, selling fakes under aliases like “Pseudo Beluga Caviar.” He later became involved with Glafira Rosales, a former dealer who peddled the fakes to Knoedler’s clients without their knowledge. Rosales has since been sentenced to nine months in prison.
Freedman’s website and social media accounts have been inactive since 2023, adding to the mystery surrounding her current whereabouts. The case remains a focal point for discussions on art authenticity and ethics.
TheForger’s victims include collectors who purchased works under Rosales’ alias, often unaware of their falseness. Efforts to find the Forger are ongoing as authorities continue to seize property linked to the scam.
This exposé paints a vivid picture of how art fraud can permeate even the most reputable institutions and the lengths people will go to exploit it for personal gain.
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https://nypost.com/2025/06/23/lifestyle/how-a-street-peddler-fooled-some-of-nycs-biggest-art-collectors/
