{
    "title": "Italian police seize 143 fake pop art works in Belgian-linked fraud investigation",
    "modified_at": "2026-04-17 17:17:31",
    "published_at": "2026-04-17 17:17:00",
    "url": "https://www.belganewsagency.eu/italian-police-seize-143-fake-pop-art-works-in-belgian-linked-fraud-investigation",
    "short_url": "http://prez.ly/iCCd",
    "culture": "en_BE",
    "language": "EN",
    "slug": "italian-police-seize-143-fake-pop-art-works-in-belgian-linked-fraud-investigation",
    "body": "<p><strong>Italian police have seized 143 fake pop-art works and are investigating a suspected Belgian fraud network linked to the forgeries.</strong></p><p>The artworks, attributed to artists such as Andy Warhol, Keith Haring and Banksy, were shown at an exhibition in southern Italy called <em>&ldquo;Pop to Street Art: Influences&rdquo;</em> held in the Calabria region between 2024 and 2025.</p><p>Authorities say the works were supplied by a Belgian company that rented out the pieces to the exhibition organisers for around &euro;50,000. Visitors believed they were viewing genuine works, but police later discovered many of them were forgeries.</p><p>Initial investigations uncovered 133 fake pieces. A further 10 works were later seized in the Belgian city of Liege after cooperation between Italian and Belgian authorities. Another 11 pieces are still being examined.</p><p>Three Belgian men and three linked companies are now under investigation for suspected fraud. Police believe the group ran a wider criminal network producing and distributing mass-made counterfeit artworks of well-known pop and street artists. Officers described the fakes as &ldquo;poor quality&rdquo; and part of a clearly organised operation.</p><p>The investigation is ongoing.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><sup>An Andy Warhol exhibition in Paris &copy; AFP PHOTO OLIVIER LABAN-MATTEI</sup></p><p>&nbsp;</p>",
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    "author": {
        "first_name": "Flanders",
        "last_name": "News Service"
    },
    "format_version": 5
}