A former pawn shop owner from Los Angeles is facing serious charges after trying to sell stolen artwork by famous pop artist Andy Warhol. Glenn Steven Bednarsh, 58, is accused of purchasing a trial proof print of Warhol’s depiction of Vladimir Lenin for $6,000 in February 2021. This particular piece is quite rare, with only 46 prints made, and is valued at around $175,000.
Bednarsh, who now lives in Farmington, Michigan, has been indicted on two counts: conspiracy and interstate transportation of stolen goods. The situation escalated when he attempted to sell the stolen artwork through a Dallas auction house. To facilitate the sale, he enlisted the help of Brian Alec Light, 58, from Hudson, Ohio, who previously lived in Los Angeles. Light reportedly contacted the auction house in March 2021 and arranged for Bednarsh to deliver the artwork to their Beverly Hills office.
The plot thickened when an employee from the auction house sought the opinion of a West Hollywood art gallery regarding the piece. The gallery quickly recognized it as stolen and alerted both the auction house and the FBI.
When questioned by federal agents, Light allegedly lied about the origins of the artwork, claiming he had purchased it at a garage sale for $18,000 and even provided a fake receipt. Bednarsh also misled investigators, stating that he was merely storing the artwork at Light’s request and had no intention of profiting from it.
Authorities later revealed that the artwork had been stolen from a Los Angeles County home in early 2021 by an unknown thief, who then sold it to Bednarsh at his pawn shop.
Light has since pleaded guilty to one count of interstate transportation of stolen goods and is awaiting sentencing, which could land him up to 10 years in prison. Bednarsh is expected to be arraigned soon in the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.
This incident is just one of many involving Warhol’s works being stolen over the years. High-profile thefts of his art have made headlines, highlighting ongoing issues with art crime and the black market for stolen pieces.