Who is Daniel Bouaziz? Florida art dealer allegedly sold fake Basquiat and Banksy paintings
Daniel Elie Bouaziz, 68, a French man who owns two galleries on Palm Beach's exclusive Worth Avenue has been charged with mail and wire fraud, laundering of monetary instruments, and money laundering for selling fake paintings from some of the most renowned artists to unsuspecting buyers. According to the federal prosecutors, Bouaziz, who owns the Danieli Fine Art Gallery and Galerie Daniel, is accused of selling fake Banksy, Jean-Michael Basquiat, and Ray Lichtenstein paintings for hundreds of thousands of dollars - despite buying the replicas for just hundreds.
Each painting included forged signatures and documents falsely stating the pieces' ownership histories and documenting their authenticity, federal prosecutors claim, according to a report by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. In one deal, he picked up a $100 Andy Warhol facsimile and sold it for $85,000 to a bamboozled customer, according to federal court papers filed in Florida. Another unsuspecting purchaser signed over a whopping $120,000 for two pieces Bouaziz bought for just $600, according to a federal indictment. Reportedly, the accused man used the laundered money to buy luxury items including a Lamborghini, a Rolex watch and Cartier jewelry.
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Federal prosecutors claim Bouaziz, a French citizen of Algerian descent, scammed a total of six victims who paid thousands of dollars for common reproductions of famous paintings. The FBI began monitoring Bouaziz’s activities in 2021 after several patrons alerted them to his alleged misconduct. Federal agents purchased a bogus Warhol from Bouaziz for $26,000 and also set up an additional deal worth $22 million before his arrest last week, the court papers say.
Agents recorded their conversation with Bouaziz in his galleries where he presented the pieces as ironclad investments. “I really gave you a fantastic price,” the gallerist told them during one meeting about a signed Warhol “Superman” print. “You can only make money.”
In a report by Associated Press, in another conversation, Bouaziz said: "I buy about 200 paintings in auction every year, and I guarantee my stuff. I'm not buying things that everybody has. That's why you don't see them in the other galleries," he allegedly told the undercover agents and offered the undercover agents a Basquiat he bought for 495 Euros at a selling price of $12 million.
Bouaziz faces up to 20 years in prison, along with hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines, but has pleaded not guilty to the charges, according to The New York Post. Bouaziz's attorney, Howard Schumacher, told the New York Post that his client is an honest dealer in the Palm Beach area, and prices are inherently subjective.
He added that Bouaziz has already given money back to dissatisfied customers, and said: "He has a tremendous following on the island in an area that is very eclectic". Schumacher also said Bouaziz plans to plead not guilty at his next court appearance on June 15. "This intrusion by the government has had an impact on his reputation, and he wants to clear that," Schumacher said.