Two prominent French antiques experts have been found guilty for their roles in a forgery scheme involving historic chairs once believed to have belonged to French royals, including Marie Antoinette. Georges "Bill" Pallot and Bruno Desnoues received four-month prison sentences along with longer suspended sentences, but with prior time served, they won't return to jail. The court also imposed fines of €200,000 on Pallot and €100,000 on Desnoues for their part in selling these counterfeit 18th Century chairs to collectors, including a member of the Qatari royal family and the Palace of Versailles.
A third defendant, Laurent Kraemer, was acquitted of negligence charges for failing to verify the authenticity of the chairs. The ruling concluded a lengthy nine-year investigation that exposed controversial practices within France's antiques market. Pallot, once recognized as an expert in 18th Century French chairs, admitted in court that he orchestrated the fraudulent operation, stating, "Everything was fake but the money." Prosecutors highlighted the case's significance, revealing systemic issues and potential conflicts of interest in art transactions. As the antiques world continues to grapple with integrity concerns, this case calls for stricter market regulations to enhance transparency in future dealings.
