Man charged with selling Emin forgeries - 21/05/2010

The 32-year-old will appear before magistrates on June 17th and is facing charges of fraud and deception.

It's thought that the Metropolitan Police's arts and antiques unit were alerted after items were sold on the online auction site eBay.

One victim claims to have paid between £15,000 and £20,000 for the fake Emin artwork over a period of two years, reports the Independent.

The forged works have not been named.

Rob Pett, spokesperson for Greater Manchester Crown Prosecution Service, said: "I can confirm that, having reviewed a file passed to us by police, the CPS has authorised that Jonathan Rayfern, 32, of New Sedgwick Mills, Manchester, be charged with fraud by false representation and dishonestly obtaining property by deception.

''These charges relate to the sales of forged artworks.''

Metropolitan Police's art and antiques unit has a database of over 54,000 items of stolen property such as paintings, furniture, books, manuscripts and silver.

Posted by Max Bryne