In a dramatic fall from grace that reads like a thriller, former Made in Chelsea reality star and celebrated art world wunderkind Alexander 'Alex' Mytton has been handed a significant prison sentence for orchestrating one of the most audacious art frauds in recent British history.
The scheme, which netted an astonishing £86 million, involved the forgery and sale of purported masterpieces by iconic 20th-century artists, meticulously deceiving wealthy collectors and experts alike.
The Charming Conman
Mytton, 32, leveraged his reality TV fame and cultivated charm to infiltrate London's exclusive art scene. After his stint on the E4 series, he reinvented himself as a savvy gallery owner and trusted dealer, using his social connections to build a reputation of legitimacy.
This carefully constructed facade allowed him to operate a sophisticated forgery ring, selling expertly crafted fakes attributed to greats like Banksy, David Hockney, and Damien Hirst.
A Web of Deceit Unravels
The elaborate scam began to crumble when a major auction house grew suspicious during the provenance checks of a piece Mytton had consigned. Investigations revealed a complex operation:
- Commissioning skilled artists to create near-flawless replicas.
- Forging extensive documentation, including fake receipts and ownership histories.
- Exploiting his high-society network to find eager buyers.
The scale of the fraud, amounting to £86 million, highlights the sheer brazenness of the operation and the vulnerabilities within the high-stakes art market.
The Sentence & Fallout
At Isleworth Crown Court, Mytton was sentenced for his leading role in the conspiracy. The judge condemned his "breathtaking audacity" and "profound betrayal of trust" that damaged confidence in the entire art industry.
The scandal has sent shockwaves through London's art galleries and auction houses, prompting calls for tighter regulations and more rigorous authentication processes to protect collectors from future fraud.
