A struggling Queens artist whose works were passed off as originals of Mark Rothko and other famed 20th Century expressionists as part of a $80 million scheme was indicted Monday for his role in the massive fraud.
Pei-Shen Qian, 75, who the feds believe is hiding out in his native China, was indicted along with two others allegedly involved in the scam.
Rogue female art dealer Glafira Rosales had pawned off 63 of Qian’s works to two Manhattan galleries — Julian Weissman Fine Art and the now-shuttered Knoedler Gallery — from the early 1990s to June 2009.
Qian, the feds say, lied during interviews about knowing Rosales and attempting to create paintings mimicking Rothko, Robert Motherwell and other top abstract expressionists for her.
He faces up to 45 years in prison after being charged with one count each of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and making false statements to the FBI.
Jose Carlos Bergantinos Diaz of Sands Point, NY, and Jesus Angel Bergantinos Diaz of Spain also were indicted on wire fraud and money laundering charges for their role in the art scam.
Rosales in September pleaded guilty to pocketing $33.2 million in sales through the scheme. The galleries flipped the artwork for more than $80 million.
Qian was originally discovered by Rosales’ long-time boyfriend selling his own art on Manhattan streets, the feds says. In some cases, Qian signed the purported artists’ names to the works, such as Pollock’s.
Rosales faces a maximum of 99 years behind bars but is expected to get substantially less jail time through her plea deal.
She has agreed to forfeit $33.2 million in cash and properties — including her Sand Points, NY, home and some legit art work she purchased – and pay $81 million in restitution to victims.
Knoedler Gallery closed in 2011 after previous forgery allegations prompted an FBI investigation and a series of lawsuits by buyers. Knoedler has denied knowing the artworks were fake.