A Los Angeles pawn shop owner has been hit with federal charges for allegedly conspiring to sell a stolen Andy Warhol print. According to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Glenn Steven Bednarsh, 58, of Michigan, is facing accusations of conspiracy and interstate transportation of stolen goods over his involvement with a Warhol trial proof depicting Vladimir Lenin, valued at $175,000. Bednarsh had initially purchased the piece for $6,000.
The plot thickened when Brian Alec Light, also caught up in the scheme, pleaded guilty last November to one count of interstate transportation of stolen goods. He is slated to be sentenced on May 27 and could face up to 10 years in federal prison. Light's role included attempting to quickly move the stolen Warhol through an auction house based in Dallas and then lying about its origins to conceal its stolen nature. Bednarsh, who is expected to soon be arraigned in United States District Court in Los Angeles, was similarly accused of making false statements to the FBI when the investigation began.
Upon the stolen art's arrival in Dallas, it was the sharp eyes of an employee at a West Hollywood gallery that triggered the alarm. They instantly recognized the print as stolen and notified both the auction house and the FBI — a move that rumbled out the accused's endeavors. As reported by Ciaran McEvoy, Public Information Officer, "An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law."
