Ex-Swiss art fair director accused of fraud
The former director of the art fair "artgenève" is suspected of fraud, mismanagement and forgery. The fair organiser Palexpo has filed a criminal complaint. The proceedings are still ongoing.
Palexpo’s CEO, Claude Membrez, confirmed corresponding investigations by the newspapers Le Courrier and Bilan on Friday. The former director of “artgenève”, an international contemporary art fair, was dismissed last summer. He had managed the first eleven editions of the fair. The presumption of innocence applies, emphasised Membrez.
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The irregularities had been discovered during a financial audit. The man is suspected of having acquired works for his own benefit or that of third parties with money from a foundation that was intended for the purchase of works for the fair. The amount of the loss is estimated at around one million francs.
The accused’s lawyer told Le Courrier that his client had handled matters in his own way, sometimes outside the framework set by his employer. He apologised for this.
However, Palexpo and the Foundation for Visual Arts had not suffered any financial loss and his client had not enriched himself. The disputed works are all owned by the Foundation for Visual Arts.
The 12th edition of artgenève will take place from 25 to 28 January in the Palexpo exhibition halls. The event is now under the direction of Charlotte Diwan.
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