Shaun Greenhalgh
| Shaun Greenhalgh | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1961 (age 55–56) Bromley Cross, Lancashire, England, UK |
| Criminal charge | Conspiracy to commit fraud, money laundering |
| Criminal penalty | 4 years 8 months in prison |
| Criminal status | Released |
| Parent(s) | George and Olive Greenhalgh |
Shaun Greenhalgh (born 1961) is a British art forger. Over a seventeen-year period, between 1989 and 2006, he produced a large number of forgeries. Teaming up with his brother and elderly parents, who fronted the sales side of the operation, he successfully sold his fakes internationally to museums, auction houses, and private buyers, accruing nearly £1 million.
The family have been described by Scotland Yard as "possibly the most diverse forgery team in the world, ever". However, when they attempted to sell three Assyrian reliefs using the same provenance as they had previously, suspicions were raised. Apprehended, Shaun Greenhalgh was sentenced to prison for four years and eight months in November 2007.
The Victoria and Albert Museum in London held an exhibition of Greenhalgh's "works" from 23 January to 7 February 2010.
The Metropolitan Police’s art and antiques unit built a replica model of the shed where the "works" were created and labelled Greenhalgh "the most diverse art forger known in history". Many of his fakes, including the Amarna Princess, Risley Park Lanx, and works by Barbara Hepworth and Thomas Moran, were displayed.
Greenhalgh's family was involved in "the garden shed gang". They established an elaborate cottage industry at his parents' house in The Crescent, Bromley Cross, South Turton, which is about 3.5 miles (6 km) north of Bolton town centre. His parents, George and Olive, approached clients, while his older brother, George, Jr., managed the money.
Other members of the family were invoked to help establish the legitimacy of the various items. These included Olive's father who owned an art gallery, a great-grandfather who it seemed had had the foresight to buy well at auctions, and an ancestor who had apparently worked for the Mayor of Bolton as a cleaner and was given a Moran painting.
...
Wikipedia