Bavarian police have seized millions of euros worth of forged art claiming to show works by Picasso, Rembrandt, and Kahlo in an operation spanning Germany, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein.
Authorities in Bavaria said the main suspect is a 77-year-old German man, who, along with 10 alleged accomplices, faces charges of conspiracy and fraud.
Investigators first became suspicious when the ringleader attempted to sell two supposedly original Picasso paintings on the art market.
He later sought to sell De Staalmeesters, a famous oil painting by Dutch master Rembrandt, for 120 million Swiss francs (£113m) - despite the original hanging in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
The forged De Staalmeesters was owned by an 84-year-old Swiss woman, who is now under investigation alongside Swiss authorities after the artificial piece was confiscated in Switzerland. After examination by an art expert, police determined it was a copy.
The painting was seized during a series of organized dawn raids across Germany, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein on Wednesday, October 15.
A large number of suspected art forgeries were found and additional materials including documents, records, and electronic data were also confiscated by authorities.
Bavarian police stated that the main suspect was attempting to sell another 19 counterfeit works, claiming to be by famous artists, with prices ranging from €400,000 (£349,000) to €14 million (£12.2 million).
These included works attributed to Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, as well as Flemish master Peter Paul Rubens, and Spanish artists Joan Miró and Amedeo Modigliani. One accomplice, a 74-year-old man, provided expert reports to affirm the authenticity of the artworks.
Both suspects were arrested but later conditionally released, and investigations are ongoing. Authorities plan to examine all the confiscated paintings in detail over the coming weeks.
