Biro and Volpe Art Investment Scheme

An Elaborate Art Investment Scheme

As most in the art world now know, Peter Paul Biro is suing the New Yorker magazine and its writer, David Grann, and others for defamation. This third article in our continuing series will focus on Peter Paul Biro, the “art restorer.” No matter what Biro claims his profession is these days, art restoration is his bailiwick. There is simply no credible evidence that we have been able to locate that confirms Biro is a specially trained and recognized “scientist,” as he claims in Paragraph 6 of his lawsuit, much less a qualified or recognized latent fingerprint examiner, except perhaps in his own mind.

It is important to consider the world of possibilities and remarkable expertise that an art restorer possesses when working with fine art and valuables. Art conservationists serve a very important function in the art market. Without art restorers, the art market would suffer greatly. While there are many reputable and well-respected art restorers worldwide, there are always exceptions. In the arena of art crime and art fraud, an art restorer can be and is often used as an essential key in a scheme to defraud.

Read the entire article: Peter Paul Biro and Ex-Con Tod Volpe Hit The “Mark”

Ruling the Roost? - LAW v. SCIENCE

The subject at hand, no pun intended here, is the science of handwriting analysis and its continuing evolvement throughout the legal system. Chronicling the ebb and flow of this science, Dr. John Daab, fine art fraud investigator and researcher, has written Art Forensics: Handwriting Analysis, clarifying what is now acceptable in a court of law and what is not. Read more

Clueless or Not? Genuine Questions Arise in Forensic Science

Most of us have been exposed to the latest craze of television’s CSI series touting the mysterious processes used by detectives to solve complex criminal cases. Fascinating stories that leave the viewer with the impression that such mysteries are solved quickly and within the time constraints of a television show. However, the investigations that are undertaken are not solved within an hour’s time, far from it! And when you are talking about art fraud, the situation is much worse. Read more