United States v. Austin, No. 93 CR 169 (N.D. Ill. 1993), aff'd in part, vacated in part, and remanded, 54 F.3d 394 (7th Cir. 1995), mot. for new trial and sentencing reh’g denied, 929 F. Supp. 1110 (N.D. Ill. 1996), aff’d, 103 F.3d 606 (7th Cir. 1997).
See also: FTC v. Austin Galleries of Illinois, Inc., No. 88-C-3845 (N.D. Ill. 1988) (granting injunction); judgment against Austin (N.D. Ill. 1991); aff'd sub nom. FTC v. Austin, 138 B.R. 898 (Bankr. N.D. Ill. 1992).
Précis
Donald Austin owned and operated a chain of art galleries, Austin Galleries, which sold millions of dollars worth of forged prints as genuine, limited edition, signed lithographs by noted modern artists. The Galleries were one of several retail links in a major scheme to sell forged prints produced by the Amiel family of New Jersey and New York, who were separately charged and convicted. (See United States v. Amiel) Following an investigation begun in 1984, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) brought a successful civil action against Austin alleging that . . . .
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