More than €200,000 in cash and over 300 works of art, which are being examined as potentially fake, were found in a storage facility of art dealer Giorgos Tsagkarakis, who was arrested by officers of the Organized Crime Unit following a prior complaint.

The arrest took place on Friday afternoon in Attica by members of the so-called “Greek FBI,” while the accused faces charges of forgery and antiquities trafficking.

The case had been under investigation about a month and a half earlier, when a person who had been following the gallerist’s activities informed the authorities, expressing doubts about the authenticity of certain works being offered for sale.

According to the same information, the trigger for intensifying the investigation was a social media post by the gallerist, in which he presented for sale a Gospel dated 1745. The specific item was located and seized and is now being examined by experts to determine its authenticity.

Watch a video of the gallerist presenting the Gospel:

Closure

Authorities’ investigations are ongoing, with checks expanding to other premises and storage spaces allegedly used by the accused. He is expected to be brought before the prosecutor.

For its part, the company “Tsagkarakis Gallery Ltd.” stated in an announcement that the works found are not part of its commercial activity, but belong to the owner’s personal collection. As stated: “it does not trade the specific paintings found in the company’s warehouses, as they constitute the personal property and personal collection of Mr. Tsagkarakis and originate from an inheritance from his deceased parents.”

The same statement notes that the possession of the works dates back more than 40 years, while regarding the Gospel presented online, the company states: “the company has already taken the necessary steps to hand it over to the competent authorities so they can assess its authenticity, its dating and the possibility of its purchase by the Greek state, as the company does not have an expert in religious and similar objects.”

Video footage recorded in Glyfada shows the moment police officers remove artworks from the gallery and load them onto a large truck as part of the operation.