Art
Michigan art dealer who faked lung transplant to rob seniors pleads guilty to $1.5M scam
Wendy Beard pulled a lot of stunts to make money off her elderly art customers — like claiming she was in a coma when they inquired about their artwork, or in the hospital for a double-lung transplant, the FBI says.
It worked for years, as her unsuspecting customers gave her artwork to sell on consignment — only she sold it and kept the money, including a mural-sized Ansel Adams photograph she sold for $440,000 without ever telling the owner.
Her customers, however, eventually caught on. The FBI was summoned. And the con artist eventually fessed up.
In U.S. District Court on Thursday, 58-year-old Beard — who inherited a lucrative art gallery from her millionaire father, but then started scamming customers one year after his death — pleaded guilty to wire fraud. In her plea agreement, she admitted she defrauded more than 10 customers who had entrusted her with selling more than $1.5 million worth of art.
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“She accepted responsibility for her conduct, which was the right thing to do in this situation,” her attorney, Steve Fishman, said following the plea hearing.
The Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, first reported on Beard’s yearslong crime spree following her arrest in 2022, when the FBI detailed her crimes in court documents, explained how she fell on the government’s radar, who she conned and the lengths to which she went to keep her ill-gotten gains.
Among her victims was the 82-year-old owner of the Ansel Adams photo she secretly sold for $440,000. When the owner tried to get the picture back, the FBI says Beard came up with a story: She was in the hospital getting a double lung transplant and was too sick to deal with the request.
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None of it was true, says the FBI, which discovered more victims, including: an 89-year-old man with Alzheimer’s who gave her five photographs to sell on consignment; a 69-year-old Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist and college professor who wanted her to sell some rare original photographs on consignment; a 72-year-old longtime friend; and a 70-year-old art collector who placed four items on consignment with Beard, including a signed Ansel Adams book and three photographs, one of which was “Painter’s Wife, Helen Abelen.”
Dozens of victims, fake emails
According to court documents, Beard initially ran the scheme out of a Detroit-area gallery that her father founded more than 50 years ago, though the business closed in 2020, so she ran it out of her home. The scheme started in 2017, one year after her father died, and ran until 2022, when her clients grew suspicious.
Beard wasn’t returning their artwork, so they contacted the Birmingham, Mich. police, who referred the complaints to the FBI. Dozens more victims came forward, including five individuals whose stories triggered criminal charges.
The victims were conned in many ways, the government says. For example, when her clients would ask for their work back, Beard not only lied about her health, but told some there was a lack of interest in their work, despite having already sold the photographs in question. She also created fake employees, who would correspond with the victims, pretending to work for Beard, when it was Beard herself who was writing the fake emails.
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“This defendant swindled numerous families out of valuable artwork and lied to them repeatedly in order to keep her fraud scheme afloat,” said U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison stated in announcing the guilty plea. “She did this for no reason other than to line her own pockets at the expense of her victims.”
Beard, who is free on bond, will be sentenced in December. While wire fraud carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence, she will likely receive a significantly shorter sentence due to her guilty plea.
Contact Tresa Baldas: tbaldas@freepress.com
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The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House has reopened its doors to the public after a fire swept through the historic building in central London. While the gallery has resumed operations, the rest of the iconic site remains closed “until further notice.”
On Saturday, approximately 125 firefighters were called to the scene to battle the blaze, which sent smoke billowing across the city. Fortunately, the fire occurred in a part of the building not housing valuable artworks, and no injuries were reported. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire.
Despite the disruption, art lovers queued outside the gallery before it reopened at 10:00 BST on Sunday. One visitor expressed his relief, saying, “I was sad to see the fire, but I’m relieved the art is safe.”
The Clark family, visiting London from Washington state, USA, had a unique perspective on the incident. While sightseeing on the London Eye, they watched as firefighters tackled the flames. Paul Clark, accompanied by his wife Jiorgia and their four children, shared their concern for the safety of the artwork inside Somerset House. “It was sad to see,” Mr. Clark told the BBC. As a fan of Vincent Van Gogh, he was particularly relieved to learn that the painter’s famous Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear had not been affected by the fire.
Blaze in the West Wing
The fire broke out around midday on Saturday in the west wing of Somerset House, a section of the building primarily used for offices and storage. Jonathan Reekie, director of Somerset House Trust, assured the public that “no valuable artefacts or artworks” were located in that part of the building. By Sunday, fire engines were still stationed outside as investigations into the fire’s origin continued.
About Somerset House
Located on the Strand in central London, Somerset House is a prominent arts venue with a rich history dating back to the Georgian era. Built on the site of a former Tudor palace, the complex is known for its iconic courtyard and is home to the Courtauld Gallery. The gallery houses a prestigious collection from the Samuel Courtauld Trust, showcasing masterpieces from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Among the notable works are pieces by impressionist legends such as Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne, and Vincent Van Gogh.
Somerset House regularly hosts cultural exhibitions and public events, including its popular winter ice skating sessions in the courtyard. However, for now, the venue remains partially closed as authorities ensure the safety of the site following the fire.
Art lovers and the Somerset House community can take solace in knowing that the invaluable collection remains unharmed, and the Courtauld Gallery continues to welcome visitors, offering a reprieve amid the disruption.
Sudbury’s annual art and music festival is marking a significant milestone this year, celebrating its long-standing impact on the local cultural scene. The festival, which has grown from a small community event to a major celebration of creativity, brings together artists, musicians, and visitors from across the region for a weekend of vibrant performances and exhibitions.
The event features a diverse range of activities, from live music performances to art installations, workshops, and interactive exhibits that highlight both emerging and established talent. This year’s milestone celebration will also honor the festival’s history by showcasing some of the artists and performers who have contributed to its success over the years.
Organizers are excited to see how the festival has evolved, becoming a cornerstone of Sudbury’s cultural landscape. “This festival is a celebration of creativity, community, and the incredible talent we have here in Sudbury,” said one of the event’s coordinators. “It’s amazing to see how it has grown and the impact it continues to have on the arts community.”
With this year’s milestone celebration, the festival promises to be bigger and better than ever, with a full lineup of exciting events, workshops, and performances that will inspire and engage attendees of all ages.
The festival’s milestone is not just a reflection of its past success but a celebration of the continued vibrancy of Sudbury’s arts scene.
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