page_title: Wolfgang Beltracchi
section_title: Arrest and trial
hierarchical_section_title: Wolfgang Beltracchi / Arrest and trial
caption_attribution_description: Die ehemalige Beltracchi-Villa in Freiburg-Herdern Wolfgang Beltracci &#160;Description German painter Date of birth4 February 1951Location of birthHöxterAuthority control VIAF: 305044601 LCCN: no2013081544 GND: 1020385138 WorldCat
context_page_description: Wolfgang Beltracchi is a German art forger and artist who has admitted to forging hundreds of paintings in an international art scam netting millions of euros. Beltracchi, together with his wife Helene, sold forgeries of alleged works by famous artists, including Max Ernst, Heinrich Campendonk, Fernand Léger and Kees van Dongen. Though he was found guilty for forging 14 works of art that sold for a combined $45m, he claims to have faked "about 50" artists. The total estimated profits Beltracchi made from his forgeries surpasses $100m.
  In 2011, after a 40-day trial, Beltracchi was found guilty and sentenced to six years in a German prison. His wife, Helene, was given a four-year sentence, and both were ordered to pay millions in restitution. Beltracchi was freed on January 9, 2015, having served just over three years in prison.
context_section_description: Wolfgang and Helene Beltracchi were arrested 27 August 2010 in Freiburg. Their accomplice Otto Schulte-Kellinghaus
  , who helped place several of the forgeries in the market, was arrested 1 December 2010.
  During the trial in autumn 2011, Beltracchi admitted forging 14 paintings: three by Heinrich Campendonk; two by André Derain; one by Kees van Dongen; five by Max Ernst; one by Fernand Léger; and two by Max Pechstein.
  On 27 October 2011, Beltracchi was sentenced to six years in jail. His wife Helene was sentenced to four years, and Otto Schulte-Kellinghaus, to five years. Helene's sister Jeanette was given a 21-month suspended sentence.
caption: The Beltracchis' erstwhile villa in Freiburg-Herdern.
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