Crime
Coconut Grove
Miami Life
FBI agents raided Roberts' Miami Fine Art Gallery in Coconut Grove on Wednesday.
By Naomi Feinstein
April 11, 2025
Spring has sprung, and so has Miami New Times‘ spring campaign!
Our goal is to raise $6,500 by April 27, and we’re counting on you, our dedicated readers, to help us get there. The funds we raise will power our newsroom and ensure we can continue delivering the trusted journalism and local coverage you rely on. If you enjoy reading Miami New Times, will you help us thrive in 2025 and beyond?
Progress to goal
$6,500
$2,300
Audio By Carbonatix
`,`
Related
- Sonar Company Solves 25-Year-Old Sunrise Cold Case
`,`
Related
- Video: BSO Deputy Rams Into Teen Cyclist Before Tackling Him
`,`
Related
- Rolex, Regret, and a Ruse: Woman Accused of Robbing 71-Year-Old After Motel Tryst
`,`
Related
- Prominent Jeffrey Epstein Accuser Says She Has Four Days to Live After Bus Crash
`,`
Related
- Miami Springs K-9 Apprehends Florida Man After Miami River Police Chase
`,`
Related
- Miami Proud Boy Enrique Tarrio Won't Face Charges In Capitol Arrest
`,`
Related
- Florida Opens Criminal Probe Into Self-Described Misogynist Andrew Tate
`,`
Related
- Horny Detective? Married Homestead Cop Sued for Wooing Case Subject
`,`
Related
- Tampa Bay Young Republicans Group Welcomes Andrew Tate With Open Arms
`,`
Related
- Ron DeSantis: Andrew Tate Is "Not Welcome" in Florida
`,`
Related
- Hide Yo Kids, Hide Yo Wife: Andrew Tate Has Landed in Fort Lauderdale
`,`
Related
- Miami Beach Man Charged in Shooting of Israeli Tourists Thought Victims Were Palestinian
` ];
Coconut Grove art dealer and Miami Fine Art Gallery owner Leslie Roberts has been charged with wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering for allegedly participating in a scheme to sell forged Andy Warhol art using fake and fraudulent invoices, the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Florida announced on Thursday.FBI agents raided the gallery on Wednesday, with local TV cameras capturing them hauling out large boxes of evidence.
In a press release, federal prosecutors say Roberts fraudulently represented the art as authentic Warhol pieces by telling victims that he purchased the artwork directly from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. Roberts also allegedly provided fake invoices to victims.
Another man, Carlos Miguel Rodriguez Melendez, a 37-year-old Sunny Isles resident, allegedly posed as an employee from a New York-based auction company to fraudulently authenticate the forged artwork. The 37-year-old was also charged as part of the scheme.Prosecutors charged a third defendant whose name is redacted in the indictment.
"The indictment also alleges that Roberts engaged in money laundering, transferring wire fraud proceeds from his Miami Fine Art Gallery bank account to a personal bank account," the press release states. "According to the indictment, Roberts made transactions in the amounts of $150,000, $40,000, and $50,000."
Both men appeared in federal court yesterday and were later released on bond. If convicted, they face up to 20 years in prison. Roberts also faces an additional 10 years for the money laundering charge.
As detailed by the New Times,Roberts has long been entangled in art-world controversies. Over the past decade, he's faced a steady stream of lawsuits — at least eight — accusing him of selling forgeries or failing to deliver promised art. He served nearly two years in federal prison in 2015 for art fraud, rebranded his galleries multiple times, and has twice filed for bankruptcy as legal challenges continue to mount.
') let lineHeight = jQuery('[line-height-check]').get(0).clientHeight; jQuery('[line-height-check]').remove() if (jQuery(element).prop('tagName').match(/HIDDEN/i) !== null) { jQuery(element).children('div').last().css({ marginBottom: `${lineHeight*2}px` }); } else { jQuery(element).css({ marginTop: `${lineHeight*2}px`, marginBottom: `${lineHeight}px` }); } // const insertionBlockClass = `fdn-paragraph-insertion-block`; const styleElementHook = `fdn-paragraph-insertion-styles`; jQuery(element).addClass(insertionBlockClass); if (jQuery(`[${styleElementHook}]`).length === 0) { jQuery('div.fdn-content-body, div #storyBody').append('
') const paragraphLineHeight = jQuery('[line-height-check]').get(0).clientHeight; jQuery('[line-height-check]').remove() const styleElement = jQuery(`
`); const styleText = ` div.fdn-content-body br+.${insertionBlockClass}:not([hidden]), div #storyBody br+.${insertionBlockClass}:not([hidden]) { margin-top: ${paragraphLineHeight*2}px; margin-bottom: ${paragraphLineHeight}px; } div.fdn-content-body br+.${insertionBlockClass}[hidden] > div:last-of-type, div #storyBody br+.${insertionBlockClass}[hidden] > div:last-of-type { margin-bottom: ${paragraphLineHeight*2}px; } ` styleElement.text(styleText); jQuery('head').append(styleElement); } // } } jQuery(element).insertBefore(this.paragraphEndNodes[index]); } else { console.warn('Foundation.ParagraphTool.insertElemenAt: invalid insertion index', index); } } this.insertElemenAtEnd = function (element) { if (this.paragraphEndNodes.length) { let lastNode = this.getNodeAtIndex(this.paragraphEndNodes.length -1); if (this.isDoubleBrParagraphBreak(lastNode) || this.isBrParagraphBreakBeforeBlockElement(lastNode)) { if (jQuery(element).get(0).tagName.match(/SCRIPT/i) !== null) { jQuery('
').insertAfter(this.paragraphEndNodes[index]); jQuery('
').insertAfter(this.paragraphEndNodes[index]); } else { jQuery('div.fdn-content-body, div #storyBody').append('
') let lineHeight = jQuery('[line-height-check]').get(0).clientHeight; jQuery('[line-height-check]').remove() if (jQuery(element).prop('tagName').match(/HIDDEN/i) !== null) { jQuery(element).children('div').last().css({ marginBottom: `${lineHeight*2}px` }); } else { jQuery(element).css({ marginTop: `${lineHeight*2}px`, marginBottom: `${lineHeight}px` }); } } } } this.bodyContainer.append(element); } this.getNodeAtIndex = function (index) { return this.paragraphEndNodes[index]; } }
`); } var paragraphCount = myParagraphTool.getParagraphEndNodeCount(); // No need to insert if there aren't enough paragaphs if (paragraphCount >= parseInt(item.requiredCountToDisplay)) { // Matches specific paragraph insertion indexes if (item.insertPoint.match(/^\d+$/) !== null) { var insertIndex = parseInt(item.insertPoint) - 1; // Insert within content if (insertIndex < paragraphCount) { myParagraphTool.insertElemenAtIndex(componentElement, insertIndex); } // Append to the end if the insert point is beyond the paragraph count else { myParagraphTool.insertElemenAtEnd(componentElement) } } // Matches for 1/2, 1/4, 2/3, 5/6, etc else if (item.insertPoint.match(/^[1223456]\/[23456]$/) !== null) { var fractionMatch = new RegExp(/^([123456])(?:\/)([23456]$)/); var fractionPart = parseInt(item.insertPoint.match(fractionMatch)[1]); var fractionWhole = parseInt(item.insertPoint.match(fractionMatch)[2]); var fractionValue = fractionPart / fractionWhole; var fractionIndex = Math.floor(myParagraphTool.paragraphEndNodes.length * fractionValue) - 1; myParagraphTool.insertElemenAtIndex(componentElement, fractionIndex); } // Matches for every Nth insertion point else if (item.insertPoint.match(/^\d*th$/i) !== null) { var intervalIndex = parseInt(item.insertPoint.match(/^(\d*)th$/i)[1]); var startingIndex = parseInt(item.startingPoint) - 1; var insertionMax = parseInt(item.maxInsertions) || 100; var insertionCount = 0; for (var i = startingIndex; i < myParagraphTool.paragraphEndNodes.length && insertionCount < insertionMax; i++) { if ((i - startingIndex) % intervalIndex === 0) { let currentNode = myParagraphTool.getNodeAtIndex(i); const clonedComponent = componentElement.clone(); myParagraphTool.insertElemenAtIndex(clonedComponent, i); insertionCount++; } } } } }); Foundation.Content['22848477'].setupInlineComponents = function () { return true; }; if (typeof callback === 'function') { callback(); } }, 200); } Foundation.Content['22848477'].previewInsertionPoints = function () { var myParagraphTool = Foundation.Content['22848477'].paragraphTool myParagraphTool.paragraphEndNodes.each((index, item) => { const insertionPointPlaceholder = jQuery(`
`) myParagraphTool.insertElemenAtIndex(insertionPointPlaceholder, index); }); return 'Paragraph insertion placeholders applied.'; }
