PALM BEACH, Fla. — A town of Palm Beach art dealer pleaded guilty Tuesday to laundering money derived from his scheme to sell counterfeit artwork, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Tuesday.
Daniel Elie Bouaziz, 69, is the owner of art galleries in South Florida, including Danieli Fine Art at 226A Worth Avenue and Galerie Danieli at 230 Worth Avenue in the town of Palm Beach.
Bouaziz’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 30 at 9:30 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon in Fort Pierce.
Bouaziz knowingly engaged in and attempted to engage in a transaction through a financial institution affecting interstate commerce of more than $10,000 in money from the unlawful sale of counterfeit art in violation of the wire fraud statute, according to the agreed-upon factual proffer in support of Bouaziz’s guilty plea,
On or about October 25, 2021, Bouaziz sold counterfeit artwork to a customer to include pieces purportedly by artist Andy Warhol out of his Palm Beach art galleries.
Bouaziz had told the customer that the works being sold for between $75,000 and $240,000 were authentic, original Warhol pieces, and some pieces were signed by the artist.
The customer purchased artwork from Bouaziz for a $200,000 down payment. The money was deposited into Bouaziz’s account and comingled funds were wired to other accounts, to include an account controlled by Bouaziz, prosecutors said.
Federal investigators revealed in May the scheme and he was indicted in July 2022.
FBI Miami, West Palm Beach Resident Agency and IRS-CI Miami investigated.
If you believe you have been a victim of art fraud, please contact the FBI’s Art Crime Team at 1-800-CALL-FBI.