Le Artistes

The Articles: 

Art 'heist' suspect: I have proof

Note Paints Ugly Picture of Art Heist

I'm with tainoman. If I know anything about the artists mentioned, EVERY SINGLE PEICE would be authenticated, there would be papers, the papers would trace back to a dealer, the dealer would be someone who could tell us the legit circumstances.

I highly doubt you forget anytime soon the person you bought a Van Gogh or Rembrandt from.
Even if the papers were stolen too, there should be copies in their tax reports and such, because value of things like that CANNOT go unreported.
Also, not immediately coming up with this evidence when the police originally questioned them makes it look suspicious. Don't they have papers/documentation for the art? Why haven't they talked to the dealer?

Personally, I think they either never had the paintings and made this up to help fund this "move on a whim" , OR they did, and thought they were authentic, and eventually got someone to appraise them, and the appraiser said they were fake, so it was decided to make the paintings disappear in order to collect money on them. Of course, no one would insure a fake painting, either.

Also, it's suspicious that they say "we spent $7 million and got an art collection worth $60 million." I find that in art and many other things...you tend to get what you pay for. I doubt they could have gotten such a collection for "so cheap". I doubt it's worth near that much, and I wouldn't be surprised if the paintings--if they ever had any, were all fakes.