Fake Art, Real Money: Inside the Norval Morrisseau Scandal

In this episode of the Back Roads Bill Podcast, lawyer Jonathan Sommer joins the conversation to break down the massive art fraud surrounding renowned Indigenous artist Norval Morrisseau and the wider problem of fake art in Canada.

Jonathan explains how he became involved in the Morrisseau case, how multiple fraud rings flooded the market with fake paintings, and why identifying and removing counterfeit works is so difficult.

We also explore the legal challenges around art fraud, the importance of provenance and authentication, and why some collectors may be reluctant to discover that a valuable painting is fake.

00:00 Inside the Norval Morrisseau Art Fraud

06:39 How the Fraud Was Exposed

13:26 Why Fake Art Stays in Circulation

23:18 Thousands of Fakes Still Out There

40:17 How Art Buyers Can Fight Fraud