An owner of a pawn shop in Los Angeles was recently indicted for allegedly conspiring to sell a stolen Andy Warhol trial proof print of Vladimir Lenin and then lying about it to the FBI.
Glenn Steven Bednarsh has been charged in a two-count federal grand jury indictment with conspiracy and interstate transportation of stolen goods, according to a press release from the US Attorney’s Office in the Central District of California on April 22.
Bednarsh, who used to reside in Beverly Hills and now lives in Farmington, Michigan, is expected to be arranged “in the coming weeks” in a US District Court in downtown LA.
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The indictment alleges that Bednarsh “knowingly purchased” a stolen grey and yellow Warhol screenprint from 1987. Bednarsh made the purchase for $6,000 in February 2021.
“Bednarsh allegedly asked a co-conspirator, Brian Alec Light, 58, of Hudson, Ohio, and formerly a resident of downtown Los Angeles, to help him sell the stolen Warhol Lenin trial proof,” stated the press release from the US Attorney’s Office. “Light then contacted the Beverly Hills of an auction house based in Dallas about selling the Warhol trial proof.”
According to Light’s 25-page plea agreement, Bednarsh transported the Warhol trial proof to the Beverly Hills office of Heritage Auctions, which then shipped the artwork to Dallas for inspection and sale.
“Each one is unique, making them much more one-of-a-kind and valued by collectors,” Phil Selway, a gallerist who serves as CEO of Hamilton Selway gallery in West Hollywood, previously told ARTnews. The edition that was stolen was number 44 out of 46 and has an estimated value of $175,000.
According to court documents, Heritage Auctions contacted Hamilton Selway for its opinion of the trial proof. Selway immediately identified it as stolen, notifying Heritage Auctions and the FBI. (Heritage Auctions was not identified in court documents, only referred to as “H.A.,” but a spokesperson from the auction house previously told ARTnews, “As soon as Heritage discovered the Warhol was stolen, we immediately worked with the FBI to secure its return.”)
When FBI agents asked Light about the stolen Warhol trial proof in March 2021, Light said he bought it at a garage sale in Culver City for $18,000 and gave a fake receipt.
Then, in August and September of that year, Bednarsh allegedly lied to FBI agents “by telling them Light asked him to store the Warhol Lenin trial proof for him and that he agreed to do so out of friendship and not for financial gain.”
Last November, Light pled guilty to one count of interstate transportation of stolen goods, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Light’s sentencing is currently scheduled for May 27.
The press release from the US Attorney’s Office also noted that the FBI’s Art Crime Team was investigating this case.
The details of Light’s plea agreement were first reported by Courthouse News.