Inside the Tetro-Stunt Conspiracy: Scheme that Reached the Royal Family

Tony Tetro, recently featured as a guest on our panel about art forgery, and James Stunt are two of the names involved in an ongoing investigation into the sale of forged artworks. Stunt has been accused of selling false pieces, while Tetro is a well-known forger and the creator of some of Stunt’s pieces.

Born in Los Angeles in 1950, Tetro is an American art forger known for reproducing the work of renowned artists. Though many believe he was driven by a desire for money and fame, he affirms that his work is "a tribute to the artists." He refers to himself as an "emulator" instead of an art forger and he does not intend to sell his work as authentic pieces. Tetro was arrested for the first time in the early 1990s and then several times more for accusations of fraud, theft, and drug trafficking.
Originally from Surrey, England, James Stunt is a collector and entrepreneur who gained attention in mainstream media after his marriage to Petra Ecclestone, the daughter of the billionaire Bernie Ecclestone in 2011. However, he is best known for his robust collection of art and involvement in a range of scandals, including allegations of fraud and money laundering in connection with the selling of fraudulent artworks to other collectors and involvement in loaning forged paintings to the Dumfries House Trust, a property owned by the current King Charles III.
In 2017, Drumfries House acquired a collection of 17 pieces from worldwide known artists as Picasso, Dalí and Monet. However, after a tip-off about the authenticity of some of the paintings, an investigation was conducted and revealed that four of the works were fake. After using infrared imaging, experts were able to identify discrepancies in the materials and techniques used in the paintings. The King was reportedly "devastated" by the news and claimed to tighten security measures to prevent similar incidents.
The fraudulent art was attributed to Tetro, who had been active in the world of art forgery for some time. In late 1988, Hiro Yamagata – an artist known for using colorful laser light in work and influence in contemporary art – came across fake pieces for sale in a Beverly Hills gallery, leading to the discovery of Tetro's work. A search of Tetro's home in April 1989 resulted in the finding of 250 forged artworks by the police.
It is believed that Tetro was not only involved in forging art but also in faking provenance, which refers to the history of ownership and the documentation of the artwork from the time it was created to the present. Faking provenance involves creating false documentation or fabricating a story about the ownership to make the piece appear more valuable or legitimate. By doing this, Tetro manipulated buyers into believing that the pieces he was selling were more relevant than they were.

Even though Tetro and Stunt had faced many accusations throughout their lives, the investigation into these recent cases is ongoing, and it is still unclear what exactly the charges will be against them. Tetro attributes the fraud to the art dealers and has said that they had hired him to produce replicas of artworks. This past December, Stunt was found not guilty of the forgery accusation, following a seven-month trial.

These art-fraud cases have highlighted the dangers of the art world and the need for greater vigilance in works of art, being more careful in determining the authenticity, condition and provenance. It has also raised questions about the roles and responsibilities of dealers and collectors in ensuring that the works they buy and sell are genuine and preserving the integrity of  art for future generations.

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