‘Principal architect’ of Morrisseau mass forgeries sentenced to five years in prison

By Marie-Danielle Smith, The Canadian Press on September 5, 2024.

A man at the centre of what is described as one of the art world’s biggest-ever fraud investigations has been sentenced to five years in prison.

David Voss pleaded guilty in June to two charges for his key role in creating and distributing thousands of fake Norval Morrisseau paintings.

An agreed statement of facts filed with the court said the Thunder Bay, Ont., man oversaw the fraud scheme from 1996 until the mid-2010s.

The late Morrisseau, also known as Copper Thunderbird, was a monumental figure in contemporary Indigenous art.

Justice Bonnie Warkentin said in her sentencing decision today that the crimes caused profound harm, including irrevocable damage to Morrisseau’s legacy.

Seven others were charged in the fraud scheme last year, with another key player, Gary Lamont, pleading guilty to two charges and receiving a five-year sentence.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 5, 2024.

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