Jean Michel FAKE-quiat: the Radiant Fraudster...

Elmer McCurdy came of age at the end of the Old West, and as it vanished he tried to grab at that outlaw life while it was still a real thing. Trouble was, he was not good at being a bad man. In death, he became an avatar and totem of the fast disappearing Wild West. There he rem ...  Show more

There's a lot of money to be made in tourism, especially in culturally rich areas like Italy's Veneto region. So what's a philanthropist/entrepreneur/orchestra conductor to do? Build a fake ancient amphitheater, of course! The Italian government, though, doesn't take kindly to th ...  Show more

A wannabe art dealer sells fake works by American masters of Abstract Expressionism in an $80 million scam, fooling rich collectors and pocketing millions. (Original air date: 8/20/2018) 

Art crime is booming and Jean-Michel Basquiat’s paintings (or at least some very realistic forgeries) are the loot du jour. Reporter Brett Sokol and a guy who used to forge Basquiats explain. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, fact-checked by Matt Collette, engineered by ...  Show more

The art of Ken Perenyi is remarkable, but it's extremely difficult to detect which pieces are his. As a teenager, Ken entered New York City's art scene, admiring famous pieces alongside artists and celebrities alike. Feeling inspired to learn the craft, he taught himself how to p ...  Show more

Get rich quick schemes have been around forever. But one con man not only made history, but became a household name. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.