Last week, Greek authorities detained an Athens-based art dealer as part of an investigation into alleged the forgery, theft, and illegal trade of antiquities.
According to the Greek Reporter, Giorgos Tsagarakis, 51, and one of his employees were arrested by the country’s Organized Crime Division. The move was was part of an operation targeting what officials said was a coordinated network dealing in counterfeit and unlawfully obtained artworks.
Tsagarakis is known in Greece for appearing on TV as an art expert and appraiser on the auction-style show Cash or Trash. He also owns Galerie Tsagarakis in Athens.
Searches carried out across several high-end districts of the capital led to the discovery of a wide range of items. Among them were hundreds of paintings, many suspected to be fake, along with religious artifacts, including icons and a rare Gospel manuscript believed to hold historical significance. Investigators also recovered ancient ceramics, objects dating back to the Byzantine period, cash in multiple currencies, a gun, and digital materials expected to assist the inquiry.
The authorities moved in and arrested Tsagarakis after seeing a video he posted on social media reportedly showing some of the stolen items, including what Greek news site Le Femerida described as a “gold-plated 1745 Gospel from Venice.” That footage also helped investigators secure the warrants needed to proceed with the raids.
Concerns had already begun to surface publicly, with collectors claiming that many works featuring in Tsagarakis’s TV auctions did not belong to him. In a separate allegation, Greek public figure Lola Daifa, who is known for her television and sports work, claimed that jewelry she had previously reported stolen appeared on one of the shows.
The suspects now face a range of serious criminal charges, including fraud, forgery, money laundering, and violations related to the protection of Greek cultural heritage. While the employee is accused of handling stolen antiquities, Tsagarakis is facing multiple felony counts.
In a statement made through his gallery, Tsagarakis rejected the accusations, saying the artworks in question were part of a long-held private collection passed down through his family and not intended for commercial sale. The gallery also said it had already approached authorities regarding the Gospel manuscript to verify its authenticity, noting a lack of specialization in religious artifacts.
Investigators are continuing to examine whether any of the seized religious objects may be tied to recent thefts reported in monasteries or private collections in Greece and Cyprus.
Tsagarakis has reportedly since been released on €50,000 bail after denying the charges leveled against him.
