German police have dismantled an international forgery ring attempting to sell fake artworks attributed to masters including Rembrandt, Pablo Picasso, and Frida Kahlo. The suspected ringleader, a 77-year-old German man from Bavaria, was arrested after trying to sell two counterfeit Picasso paintings, one a portrait of Dora Maar. Investigators, who code-named the operation “Dora Maar,” conducted raids across Germany, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein, seizing 19 fake works with asking prices ranging from $460,000 to $16 million. A 74-year-old accomplice is accused of producing forged expert reports to authenticate the fakes.
The case highlights the persistent threat of art forgery in the high-stakes global art market, where original works by these artists command tens of millions at auction. The attempted sale of a copy of Rembrandt’s *Syndics* for $150 million—a work whose original hangs in the Rijksmuseum—underscores the audacity of the scheme. The investigation, involving around 100 officers and three prosecutors, signals a robust law enforcement response to protect collectors and the integrity of the art trade.