Latest news with #MiamiFineArtGallery
Associated Press
25-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Les Roberts Featured in Blog Exploring the Business of Luxury Art Collecting
Les Roberts of Miami Fine Art Gallery, Miami, FL, USA Miami Fine Art Gallery Director Breaks Down the High-Stakes Art Market in an Exclusive Feature Les Roberts, Director of Miami Fine Art Gallery, is the subject of a compelling new online blog titled 'The Business of Art: How Galleries Navigate the High-Stakes World of Luxury Collecting.' In the piece, Roberts offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at the powerful intersection between art and business, sharing his insights on the evolving world of luxury art collecting. Based in Miami, Florida, Roberts has spent over 15 years curating museum-quality collections that include names such as Rembrandt, Picasso, Warhol, and Banksy. As the leader of one of Miami's most respected galleries, his perspective highlights how art collecting has grown beyond passion into a sophisticated, high-value market influenced by global economics, cultural shifts, and strategic investing. 'Art is about connection and emotion—but in the luxury space, it's also about value,' Roberts explains in the blog. 'The most successful collectors understand both.' The blog dives into key elements shaping the art market today: the role of rarity and prestige, the importance of curatorial expertise, and how galleries like Miami Fine Art Gallery shape both taste and trends. Roberts also emphasizes the significance of white-glove service in the collector experience—from personalized art advisory to the technical details of framing and installation. 'In the luxury space, it's not just what you collect—it's how the experience unfolds,' says Roberts. 'Every detail matters.' Roberts goes on to explore how galleries serve not just as sellers of art but as market influencers, offering clients insights on artist trajectories, provenance, and investment viability. As traditional collectors expand their portfolios and new technologies such as NFTs enter the conversation, Miami Fine Art Gallery remains at the forefront of adaptation. 'The market is evolving quickly,' Roberts notes. 'Collectors are more informed and more strategic than ever before. It's our job to guide them with clarity, authenticity, and vision.' The feature also addresses the emotional and legacy-driven aspects of collecting. While financial appreciation is a key motivator for many, Roberts reminds readers that art's value is also deeply cultural and personal. 'Art tells a story. It represents something bigger than the object itself—it's history, emotion, and identity,' he says. 'That's why so many collectors see it as part of their legacy.' With a reputation for curating exceptional works and offering a highly personalized experience, Les Roberts continues to shape the future of fine art collecting through a blend of business acumen and curatorial passion. About Les Roberts of Miami Fine Art Gallery Les Roberts is the Director of Miami Fine Art Gallery in Miami, Florida. With a background in Art History and Business from New York University and training at Sotheby's, he specializes in guiding collectors through the high-value, ever-evolving world of fine art. To read the full blog, click here. Media Contact Company Name: Les Roberts of Miami Fine Art Gallery Email: Send Email City: Miami State: Florida Country: United States Website: Source: Erase Technologies, LLC
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Yahoo
A Miami Art Dealer Was Charged for Reportedly Selling Fake Andy Warhols
A Miami art dealer was indicted in a federal court for selling fake Andy Warhol works, and could now face up to 10 years in prison. Leslie Roberts, 62, allegedly sold the works at his Coconut Grove gallery, Miami Fine Art Gallery. He was indicted alongside Carlos Miguel Rodriguez Melendez, 37, who allegedly helped him sell these pieces. More from Robb Report How to Protect Your Art From Natural Disasters: Lessons From the L.A. Wildfires Andy Warhol's 'Big Electric Chair' Could Fetch $30 Million at Auction This Spring Rembrandt's Drawing of a Young Lion Will Go on Sale Next Year Roberts claimed that the prints had been given the blessing of an authentication board run by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. But that board was dissolved in 2011 amid various legal actions, so it has not operated in more than a decade. A release by the FBI claimed that Rodriguez Melendez 'falsely represented that he was an employee of a New York-based auction company in order to fraudulently authenticate the artwork in to conceal that the artwork was fake.' He was arrested earlier this month on fraud and money laundering charges, and was later released on bond, according to The New York Times. Last week, various Floridian outlets reported that Miami Fine Art Gallery was raided by the FBI, but it wasn't immediately clear why, since some of the documents related to Roberts' were sealed until earlier this month. In 2024, a family of art collectors sued Roberts, claiming that they had spent $6 million on faked Warhols, including works that depicted Marilyn Monroe, Debbie Harry, and others who repeatedly figured in the Pop artist's screenprinted paintings. The family claimed that it realized the works were fake upon closer examination of emails purportedly from the Warhol Foundation that came from @ addresses. In fact, the foundation's website has a .org address. While the legal filings appeared to offer substantial evidence that the works were fake, Roberts had previously touted his work with the Warhol Foundation. 'One of my proudest moments was acquiring rare art from the Andy Warhol Foundation,' he told Artnet, speaking not to the website's News arm but to its Artnet Gallery Network affiliate. 'This milestone underscored our gallery's dedication to curating exceptional works. Another standout moment is the joy of helping clients discover the art they've always desired, fulfilling their dreams and enhancing their collections.' In that interview, Roberts touted a show that he described as 'our biggest exhibition yet of Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol pieces.' Roberts has previously faced legal trouble before. He has found himself at the center of lawsuits over faked Romero Britto and Peter Max paintings. Following the 2015 Max lawsuit, Roberts received a 22-year prison sentence and was given three years of supervised release. Then, in 2018, after he allegedly tried to negotiate the sale of a $75,000 Basquiat painting, that release was revoked, and he briefly ended up back in prison. The Miami New Times has published an extensive overview of Roberts's career, including his various legal woes. Of the recent case involving the fraudulent Warhols, a lawyer for Roberts told the Times that the art dealer 'vehemently maintains his innocence and looks forward to the opportunity to present the full facts in a court of law.' Best of Robb Report The 10 Priciest Neighborhoods in America (And How They Got to Be That Way) In Pictures: Most Expensive Properties Click here to read the full article.
New York Times
11-04-2025
- New York Times
Miami Art Dealer Is Charged With Selling Fraudulent Warhols
A Miami art dealer was indicted on charges that he sold fraudulent Andy Warhols to collectors and provided them with fake invoices and forged authentication documents to make them appear legitimate. The indictment accuses the dealer, Leslie Roberts of Miami Fine Art Gallery, of going to elaborate lengths to convince buyers that the works were legitimate Warhols, including by using fake stamps and fraudulent identification numbers. 'To make the fraudulent art appear to be authentic pieces created by Andy Warhol, Leslie Howard Roberts utilized forged authentication documents that were purportedly provided by the Andy Warhol Art Authentication Board, Inc.,' the indictment read. (The board ceased operations over a decade ago.) Two other defendants were also charged with taking part in Mr. Roberts's scheme by posing as employees of a New York auction house 'to fraudulently authenticate artwork in order to conceal that the artwork was not created by Andy Warhol.' Mr. Roberts, who was arrested on wire fraud and money laundering charges on Wednesday and released on bond, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The details of the indictment, which was filed in Federal District Court in Miami and unsealed on Thursday, align with a lawsuit filed last year against Mr. Roberts. The civil suit was filed by a family of art collectors who accused Mr. Roberts of duping them into paying millions of dollars for fraudulent Warhols, including the artist's famous colorful portraits of Queen Elizabeth and Marilyn Monroe. At the time the suit was filed, Mr. Roberts denied selling the family forgeries, and he and his lawyers have been fighting the case in civil court. 'I don't believe anything was a forgery — everything looked good to me,' Mr. Roberts said in an interview with The New York Times in August. He added: 'I don't know where the authority is they say it's fake.' But last week, a grand jury indicted Mr. Roberts on criminal charges related to the case. The same day, Mr. Roberts filed for bankruptcy. Another defendant, Carlos Miguel Rodriguez Melendez, was accused of posing as an employee of a New York auction house and charged with wire fraud conspiracy. His lawyer, Nayib Hassan, said in an email that his client 'vehemently maintains his innocence and looks forward to the opportunity to present the full facts in a court of law.' A third defendant's name is redacted from court papers. Mr. Roberts has faced criminal charges related to forged artworks before. In 2015, he pleaded guilty to mail fraud and served a prison sentence after acknowledging to prosecutors that he and his children had defrauded customers by selling them forged paintings, according to court documents. And in 1987, when he was in his 20s, Mr. Roberts was sentenced to prison time for defrauding a family member of millions of dollars when he was a young stockbroker. The new criminal inquiry into Mr. Roberts became apparent this week when the local news captured the F.B.I. raiding his art gallery in the upscale Coconut Grove neighborhood of Miami. In the civil suit, filed last August, a family of art collectors — Matthew, Judy and Richard Perlman — accused Mr. Roberts of duping them into paying more than $6 million for fraudulent Warhols. The lawsuit claimed that Mr. Roberts told the Perlmans that he could get them Warhols at a discount through his relationship with the Warhol foundation, and the family began buying works it thought were by Warhol. An amended version of the lawsuit lists more than 250 works that the Perlmans purchased, including original canvases (John Lennon and Albert Einstein for about $30,000 each) and silk-screens (John Wayne for $75,000; a collection of Maos for $325,000). The partnership began to fall apart later when Richard Perlman and his wife approached Christie's to sell some of the works, and the auction house raised doubts about their authenticity. The suit said that two people then came to the family's Florida home with business cards claiming that they were appraisers from a rival auction house, Phillips, and declared the works to be authentic Warhols. 'Les Roberts betrayed the Perlmans' trust and went to great lengths to cover up his fraud,' Luke Nikas, a lawyer representing the family, said in a statement on Thursday. In the interview in August, Mr. Roberts denied the lawsuit's version of events. He said Matthew Perlman had been an active partner in a joint venture they had arranged to purchase Warhols, saying that Mr. Perlman worked alongside him for 'every single one' of the art purchases. He claimed that all of the artworks had come from legitimate sources. 'I try to be more cautious than ever,' he said at the time, 'because of my past.'
Miami Herald
11-04-2025
- Miami Herald
Coconut Grove art dealer led scheme to sell forged Andy Warhol pieces, feds say
A day after the FBI raided an art gallery in the historic Coconut Grove neighborhood of Miami, hauling off materials in cardboard boxes, an accomplished fine art dealer was charged with scheming to sell forged Andy Warhol pieces, law enforcement officials say. On Thursday, federal authorities said Leslie Roberts, a 62-year-old art gallery owner, and Carlos Miguel Rodriguez Melendez, 37, worked to defraud unknowing art patrons, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Southern District of Florida. Roberts' business, Miami Fine Art Gallery in Coconut Grove, was swarmed by FBI agents on Wednesday. At the time, authorities did not reveal what or who was at the center of their search. READ MORE: FBI conducting investigation at Coconut Grove business — possibly an art gallery The U.S. Attorney's Office revealed Roberts had fraudulently represented some of the art pieces he sold as original works created by Andy Warhol. He would sell the lie of the forged art by telling his victims that he acquired the artwork directly from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts — even going as far as showing them fake invoices that he concocted, a federal indictment read. Within the plot, Rodriguez Melendez would cosplay as an employee of a New York-based auction company to authenticate the artwork and conceal that they were fakes, authorities said. Roberts was also alleged to have committed money laundering by transferring wire fraud funds — more than $200,000 — from his art gallery bank accounts to his personal accounts. Roberts and Rodriguez Melendez were arrested Wednesday and made their first appearance in federal court. The pair was released on bond and readied for an arraignment hearing April 21. The U.S. attorney's office said, if convicted, they could face up to 20 years in federal prison. Roberts could see an additional up to 10 years if convicted on his money laundering charge.
Globe and Mail
20-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Globe and Mail
Les Roberts Featured in Exclusive Interview on the Evolution of Art and Collecting
Miami Fine Art Gallery Director Shares Insights on Bridging Classical and Contemporary Art Les Roberts, Director of Miami Fine Art Gallery, has been featured in an exclusive online interview titled 'Les Roberts: The Art of Connecting the Past and Present.' In this deep dive into his life and work, Roberts discusses his passion for curation, the psychology of collecting, and how classical techniques continue to influence today's artists. Since taking over Miami Fine Art Gallery in 2008, Roberts has curated collections that merge historical masterpieces with modern, boundary-pushing works. His expertise, shaped by an Art History and Business degree from New York University and an internship at Sotheby's, allows him to seamlessly blend past and present, introducing audiences to the dynamic evolution of artistic expression. 'Art isn't just about aesthetics,' Roberts shares in the interview. 'It's a language that speaks across generations. What Rembrandt did with light and shadow, contemporary artists are doing with digital tools today.' In the interview, Roberts traces his journey from New York City, where he first developed his love for fine art, to Miami, Florida, where he saw an opportunity to create a gallery space that honored both classical and contemporary traditions. He explains how Miami's diverse culture and events like Art Basel Miami Beach have positioned the city as a global hub for collectors, artists, and enthusiasts alike. The discussion also touches on the psychology of art collecting, highlighting the emotional connections people form with artwork. Roberts notes that for many collectors, it's not just about investment—it's about identity, memory, and meaning. 'Some people collect because a piece reminds them of a specific moment in their life,' Roberts explains. 'Others are drawn to works that challenge them or reflect their personality. Either way, it's about making a connection.' Another key topic in the interview is the role of technology in the art world. Roberts shares how virtual exhibitions, digital collections, and AI-generated art are changing the way people experience and interact with fine art. 'Technology isn't here to replace traditional art,' Roberts says. 'It's enhancing it. It's making art more immersive, more accessible, and helping collectors visualize pieces in ways they never could before.' Looking ahead, Roberts sees a shift in the future of collecting. He predicts more artists will experiment with digital mediums, while collectors will seek deeper, more interactive experiences with the pieces they acquire. 'Art is timeless,' Roberts reflects. 'Whether it's a 300-year-old painting or a brand-new digital creation, its ability to make us feel, think, and connect with the world remains unchanged.' As he continues his work at Miami Fine Art Gallery, Roberts remains committed to honoring the legacy of classical artists while embracing the future of contemporary creativity. About Les Roberts Les Roberts is the Director of Miami Fine Art Gallery, where he curates collections that bridge the worlds of classical and contemporary art. With a background in Art History and Business from New York University and training at Sotheby's, he is dedicated to making fine art accessible and meaningful for collectors worldwide. To read the full interview, click here. Media Contact Company Name: Les Roberts of Miami Fine Art Gallery Email: Send Email City: Miami State: Florida Country: United States Website:
