An art collection belonging to an 82-year-old widow in Rio de Janeiro has been mostly recovered after being stolen as part of a strange plot allegedly orchestrated by her daughter. Read the full story:
Police say the paintings were not taken in a heist, but rather through a con including a self-proclaimed soothsayer.
In January 2020, the 'fortune-teller' approached the widow in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, and informed her that her daughter was sick and would die soon, police said.It is claimed the widow, who holds mystical beliefs, was compelled to transfer a total of 5 million reais to the con artist over the course of two weeks for supposed spiritual treatment.
Her daughter allegedly then fired staff at their home to allow her accomplices to enter and take the pieces of art.After the work was stolen, the group then threatened the widow, and she transferred more money, police say. Of the 16 pieces, three were found in an art gallery in Sao Paulo, where the owner said he had bought them directly from the woman's daughter.He told police he had also sold two others to the museum of Latin American Art in Buenos Aires.
The world-renowned museum's founder Eduardo Constantini purchased the works for his personal collection, and to possibly put on display in the future, a spokesman told Associated Press.
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