Polish Father-Daughter Art Fraud Team Faces Reality

The artwork was counterfeit, but the consequences for the Polish father-daughter duo will be very real. Between 2020 and 2025, Erwin and Karolina Bankowska sold fake pieces in New York that were claimed to be by artists like Andy Warhol, Banksy, Pablo Picasso, and Luiseño Native American artist Fritz Scholder.

Their scheme captivated collectors, leading to the sale of over 200 artworks, which the U.S. Attorney’s Office has described as a “prolific counterfeit art scheme.” This operation generated at least $2 million.

Prominent auction houses such as Bonhams, Phillips, and Freemans were reportedly targeted, with the most lucrative fake, attributed to Richard Mayhew, fetching $160,000.

A tip from the FBI ultimately exposed the fraud, shocking many, especially the collectors who had been deceived.

For Robert Rogal, owner of RoGallery in Long Island City, it all began when a young woman, claiming to be 26, entered with a framed piece from renowned optical artist Richard Anuszkiewicz, describing it as an heirloom.

“I’m a compulsive buyer,” Rogal shared. “I carefully select art and always ask the seller questions about provenance, receipts, and so on. I know what to look for.” His gallery holds around 10,000 pieces, showcasing works by Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and more.

Rogal found the painting to be elaborate, featuring Anuszkiewicz’s signature style along with a pegboard on the back, a material sometimes used by artists in the 1960s.

“I asked if she’d like to consign it, which typically means a higher price. But she wanted to sell it outright instead. So, I wrote her a check for about $50,000,” he recalled.

Considering her lack of background and vague claims about her family, what led Rogal and others to invest so much?

“The art is really good,” he noted. “We have excellent forgers. It’s tough to go back on these things. This piece wasn’t documented well back in the ’60s and ’70s,” he explained, referring to the often poor documentation surrounding such works.

The court found that the works were commissioned from a skilled Polish artist. An insider speculated that it started when they discovered this artist could replicate works of famous figures, leading them to create and sell these forgeries as if they were original.

Additionally, they used design software to generate fake certificates of authenticity, printed on aged paper and attached to the counterfeit pieces. Art dealer Richard Polsky noted that today’s printing technology makes reproductions almost indistinguishable from the originals.

One piece, misrepresented as Warhol’s, sold for $5,500, while a counterfeit Banksy sold for $2,000, which was tricky to authenticate due to the artist’s stencil technique.

Perhaps feeling emboldened after the first successful transaction, Bankowska returned with what she claimed was a work by Andrew Wyeth. However, Rogal wasn’t convinced this time, suspecting the “authentic stamps” from Knoedler Gallery were questionable, given the gallery’s history with counterfeit art.

He eventually accepted it on commission for further verification, but when the Wyeth Foundation deemed it inauthentic, he attempted to return it to Bankowska, who never showed up.

Both Bankowska and her father had experience in the art world, having previously dealt in legitimate artworks. Initially, they sold pieces by unknown artists but realized the potential in selling more valuable forgeries.

A source mentioned that they saw an opportunity to leverage their connection with a talented Polish artist to produce and sell these forgeries as original works.

Ultimately, it wasn’t about the creation of replicas but rather misrepresenting them as authentic—which was the crux of what Carolina and Erwin did.

Rogal wasn’t the only victim. One buyer he referred to as “the Foundation” recounted purchasing the Anuszkiewicz for $15,000 in an online auction before receiving a call from the FBI.

When a painting attributed to Lymonds Staplans was suspected of being a fake, the auction house was contacted, leading to FBI involvement which exposed the fraud.

When the FBI confirmed Rogal’s Anuszkiewicz was a counterfeit, he returned to the buyer to resolve the matter fairly. “I bought it back,” he stated, emphasizing that he wanted to make things right, even if it meant a financial loss. “I’ve got two fakes now, and I’m not sure what to do with them,” he added, taking it all in stride.

Karolina and Erwin have since been arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and misrepresenting Native American products. They pleaded guilty, facing up to 20 years each in prison and at least $1.9 million in restitution. Given their plea, they may serve about three years before being deported to Poland.

“Over the years, they presented themselves as art sellers, deceiving unsuspecting collectors,” U.S. Attorney Nocera remarked following their plea.

Karolina’s lawyer stated that she takes full responsibility for her actions and has secured over $700,000 in restitution for her victims.

When asked about the impact on artists like Anuszkiewicz, Rogal expressed mixed feelings, noting that while some artists might be upset, others might take pride in having their work so highly imitated.