Berks Man Sentenced 60 Days Prison Art Fraud Scheme Selling Fake Picasso Warhol

Carter Reese, a 77-year-old man from Berks County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 60 days in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release, including four months of home detention, for defrauding art buyers by selling counterfeit artwork he falsely claimed was created by renowned artists such as Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, and Keith Haring. Reese pleaded guilty to wire and mail fraud charges in May 2025 after investigators found he knowingly sold fake pieces between February 2019 and March 2021. In addition to his prison sentence, Reese was fined $50,000 and ordered to pay $186,125 in restitution to victims. A respected figure in the art community and a former fine arts teacher, Reese exploited his reputation to perpetrate the scheme, which was investigated by the FBI's Art Crime Team. During sentencing, Reese expressed deep remorse but did not explain his motivations for the fraud. This case highlights the impact of art fraud on collectors and the art market, emphasizing federal authorities' commitment to prosecuting such crimes.