Stolen de Kooning painting worth $165M found behind a bedroom door

Ron Roseman was almost finished liquidating his late aunt's estate last summer when the phone rang. It was the FBI. An agent wanted to know where his aunt, Rita Alter, got a painting that hung behind her bedroom door.
See the full documentary: • Discovering The de Koo...

[@LAjudge09]

They were professional thieves... posing as teachers. Not hard to figure out.

[@eveblot4195]

or military contractors. professional thieves are usually insiders, unless you count the knuckle heads in prison as professional. i don't. i had this "buddy" that would wreck his car about once a week, drunk as a goose, cry like a baby about all the bad thing he had done. never got a ticket that i know of... "professionals" go fig.

[@radofficial4672]

Maybe they travelled the world planing and stealing high value art & artefacts as pro thieves masquerading as travellers.. constantly on the move to avoid being captured. Sounds like a movie !! :)

[@Usenabt]

rick miller that’s not as smart of a statement as you think 😂. More the opposite

[@exoticcarfactsofficialchan7050]

@rick miller #Accurate

[@jennyhildebrand9335]

Well how they do it ....Out price a Canvas with Something my dragged in PERFECT WAY #LaunderMoney No crates of Artwork Are inspected at Any port of entry in USA #TheRulingClass Made sure of that...So #Smuggling is a biggy For #TheRulingClass #ArtWorld Modern Art Sucks! JUST BUNCH of #DrugSmugglers #HumanTrafficking (YES inside the containers) HEY #NATO does it Too via #CIA #WakeUp PEOPLE

[@andrewrodriguez1613]

The real crime is that he sold all their antiques for $2,000.

[@MTSGaming]

They are probably rolling in their grave

[@petemavus2948]

It's the conquest and the value it was to others. I wouldn't be surprised if they practically gave it away for what they probably knew about Art of this calibre.

[@sundromos9456]

When you're dealing with the mostly worthless contents of deceased relatives' households, it's not an easy situation (an inconvenience let's say, being the "executor") and you'd be surprised at how attractive it is to just lowball it and get it done. He wouldn't have suspected anything based on a quick look at their place.

[@petemavus2948]

@@sundromos9456 Especially if they don't understand quality, didn't really know or care much for the relatives or their possessions and memories and just see a quick buck in the least amount of time.

[@uiscepreston]

And the grand theft larceny of his aunt and uncle.

[@MrQbenDanny]

Well educated smart crooks who don't look like crooks know how to steal right in front of you. Case closed.

[@buckburns7897]

You got it lol!!! I am the person who found it and you are correct!

[@tomg5187]

Buck Burns No way that’s awesome dude. Great art knowledge bro!

[@MrQbenDanny]

@@buckburns7897 Greetings kind Sir!!!YOU are the hero star of this reportage, thanks to your eagle eyes and knowledge. You have a great screenplay in the palms of your hands and I believe you should make happen. I can imagine Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep in the leads with Clint directing. I am intrigued by the sunny weather tone of this story, the loveable naughty couple stealing a masterpiece of modern art and stashing it eccentrically behind a bedroom door with tickling feet splendor. BUT, look closely... My view: Jerome ALTER, was more close to a jolly functioning psycho than a poster boy teacher, a fantastic profession to give him the cover for dealing in the illegal world of antiquities. A world was travelled to feed their egos and flamboyant lifestyle, a lifestyle that the teacher's union could never have provided. Were they GOOD people? YES, to themselves. They felt entitled to their money no matter how they got it. There are more people probably involved in their lives than we can imagine, and none will come forward because educated thieves with degrees who write books don't tell on each other, their fearcist weapon is anonymity. They are all guilty. They know what they want and figure out how to get it, and more importantly not getting caught. Were the Alters atheists or religious? My guess would be religious because to them stealing was holy and wouldn't doubt visited Temple, not for repentance, but the beauty of togetherness such visits create. Was Jerome ALTER a loveable rascal? You bet your bottom dollar he was!!! Recreating their De Kooning crime with diamonds and a black truck is not only sinfully delicious, but typical traits of psychos playing connect the dots psychology for common people fun and enticing to investigators, much like the "Uni Bomber", except the Alters would never have lived in an off grid shack in the woods. There's a fascinating story in this magnificent display of fantastic living, even building a spa mansion in the desert where human ears couldn't hear their laughter. BUCK BURNS (damn!!! that's a great show biz name!!!) Get thee to a typewriter and start your screenplay. Feel free to use any of my comments analysis in it, you have my applause. Disregard their own end on earth and take dramatic liberty by having the law chase them in high speed around treacherous roads in the desert and the Alters meeting their end TOGETHER romantically like the ending of "Thelma and Louise ". Cheers, Danny

[@williamnordeste9653]

What a joke masterpiece lol

[@buckburns7897]

@@MrQbenDanny perfectly brilliant. I am also an Actor here in New Mexico. I think that your right! will start something up here. thank you so much. this journey with the discovery has been amazing and we would do nothing differently

[@raymondgastelum394]

Had a nice pool which was a rarity for their geographic. 1 million in savings and traveled the world looking like dorky tourists. That is the definition of what professional con artists should sound like.

[@raymondgastelum394]

@R V just like you know about trolling? Lol gtfo

[@thedevilsadvocate5210]

I bet they were the nicest people

[@tomg5187]

As if there wasn’t enough hate in the world. Apologise and make friends PLEASE!

[@IrishAnnie]

Raymond Gastelum my husband and I look like dorks. Poor.

[@benparker384]

huh.... didn't know my doctor grandpa was a criminal

[@dampaul13]

Travelled to 140 countries, $1 million in savings, still had the painting. Where did their money come from then? Other stolen paintings?

[@Auriflamme]

Card counting in Vegas.

[@lawrence1986ify]

This was in the 40s and 50s look at how much shit Bonnie and Clyde got away with.... and that was Stealing Robbing killing...... extremely complex if you think about it versus these people which is 10 minutes and a razor blade and Cash in on a few million if you think Real hard this is Quite Simple Really 3 plans Total VS Bonnie and Clyde when there wanted everywhere plus the airports back then wasn't really securely check I mean it was secured but it wasn't like today will you have metal detectors cavity searches background checks a do not fly list if you last name is on that list and ect

[@PixelBoyMiner]

They stole one painting could've well stolen others

[@dampaul13]

@@PixelBoyMiner If only I had have thought of that.

[@dampaul13]

@@lawrence1986ify That was a really long and rambling sentence, that makes no sense and added nothing. Cheers. Do you know how to use punctuation? I mean, seriously, that was one sentence. You can do better.

[@eddiemalvin]

Never dontate, sell or give away "junk" until you value it. We recently bought a furnished house and almost threw out a vintage lamp. A quick Google search revealed it was worth $1,000 - 1,500.

[@Jomzi01]

What's the lamp so I can also look it up. Thanks

[@codename495]

Found a $28,000 piano with ivory keys. It’s 118 years old and I paid $280 at a junk shop.

[@nunyabiznez6381]

So true. I have found many items of value at thrift stores and yard sales and flea markets. One time at a flea market I found a man selling old foreign coins. He literally had a full five gallon bucket with them and was selling them for five cents each. A quick estimate in my head I figured he might want about $500 for the bucket so I asked how much he wanted for the whole thing and he said "$50" I could not open my wallet fast enough and then I had to dump them into smaller containers the bucket weighed hundreds of pounds. It took me over an hour just to get them into my car. It took me damned near a year to go through them all and I still have about a tenth of them. So far I've made a few thousand dollars selling them off. Included was over 200 old British silver coins including a really nice George III shilling from 1799. There were over a thousand silver coins in that bucket. The guy who sold them to me said they were worthless junk coins he accumulated over the years. I asked why he thought they were worthless and he said because they were foreign and you can't spend them here. Ignorance is bliss to those who can profit by it. He was selling them mostly to kids as a novelty. Recently I found a framed engraving at thrift store and bought it for $2. The frame alone is probably worth $500. It is gilt and easily 16th century with only a little wear and tear. But I was more interested in the engraving. Turned out to be an Albrecht Durer and I had it appraised and it is worth about $3000. It would be worth more but it was a later impression made fairly recently. Albrecht Durer prints are considered original if they are made from his original woodcut plates. The more recent the impression the less valuable they are not due to lack of age but rather lack of detail. Wood cuts loose detail the more impressions you make. Very early impressions from the 16th century have a lot more detail and are thus worth more. If mine was an early impression it would have been worth over $25,000. I'm happy nonetheless since it's still worth 1750 times what I paid for it. You don't find things like that every day at thrift stores but I keep my eyes open. another framed item I found was an old map from the 1700's. I paid $10 for it and it was framed so it had a nice 18th century gilt frame though in rougher shape than the Durer. It was a nice anachronistic map of the east coast of North America and I have not had it appraised because I like it too much to part with it. but I think that might be worth near a grand. I also bought a Woody the Wood Pecker cartoon cell that I gave to a friend's 7 year old since they were a fan of the cartoon. I think it was probably worth a few hundred dollars. It wasn't signed but a dealer told me it was authentic and he specializes in cartoon art.

[@nicapika7970]

@@nunyabiznez6381 Why do I feel bad for the guy who was selling the old coins. I feel like as if you took advantage of his ignorance on the matter. You should have offer him atleast double the price of what he was asking.

[@mediadon6545]

@@nicapika7970 Offer him double and you he won't even sell it to you, he's only selling since it's "worthless" to him, once he learns the truth he'll 100x the price or refuse selling

[@judyjetson686]

Amazing story!!! Auntie and uncle were international thieves. Who gets the script first?!

[@RLviddy]

A movie based on this story would be awesome.

[@kenc2257]

@milkmandan77 Dan, if people stole your milk, you wouldn't be so sanguine.

[@seinundzeiten]

@milkmandan77 they probably drank sanguinary milk

[@lindawilliams747]

@@dafrasier1 what a horrid comment.

[@davidsummers4820]

@@RLviddy I totally agree, especially in today's climate with teachers across the country striking because of low pay. Such a heist flick would be fun (and poignant)

[@ELCEV]

The mystery to me is who could value that painting for so much money?

[@Finians_Mancave]

The simple answer is Demand (ie. whatever someone is willing to pay for it).

[@thebrutaljudge9883]

DE KOONING is the answer !

[@hudsontoo1212]

Money launderers. That’s all art is

[@rickh3714]

What is strange is that de Kooning was actually a master draftsman. See his early still life drawings in pencil and charcoal. Like Picasso he 'unlearnt' his earlier skills. Some of his later paintings are lively dancing expressionistic pieces. Absurdly overpriced even then. Sometimes I fail to see what others apparently see in them. Expect a market correction methinks!

[@elmobolan4274]

I know, really....I've heard art isn't valued by its talent but simply who the artist knows and who he/she befriends as in rich people....

[@goldenglazed3767]

Fun fact: I used to work at the museum it was stolen from, they still had the frame and outline of canvas where they cut it out up. Also, the painting was actually located on the first floor just past the front desk, not up the stairs.

[@nicholasshade]

I love it. It's so beautiful.🌈

[@WHEREVER-I-ROAM]

@@nicholasshade RAINBOWS are HOMOSEXUAL

[@nicholasshade]

@@WHEREVER-I-ROAM rainbows are color.🌈 Color is cool.🎨 Get a life, honey. 🍯

[@nunyabiznez6381]

Reporters are always getting little details like that wrong.

[@acidd69]

no one asked

[@garvinkelly]

$2000 for the entire estate of world traveling art collectors?!!!! who is that stupid!?

[@JA-ld3it]

That was hard to hear

[@Racingirl911]

Apparently that idiot who did it! LOL!!!

[@tommyboybr]

Crazy huh He just wanted to get rid of everything without even thinking. Smh.

[@ryneprince7113]

They meant 200,000

[@edwardmena6516]

Garvin Kelly , big time!

[@justdoingitjim7095]

When he said some guy was down on his knees trying to scratch the painting and stopped him, it brought back memories of a vintage camera I bought at an auction. All the goods were lined up on the ground in small piles or by themselves. This Graflex Press Camera was inside it's steel case which also had 2 dozen film holders, unused film with a date from the early 50's, light meter and a lot of other things a professional journalist would need. All of the film holders had film in them and 12 of them had been exposed, but never taken out and developed. I had been a freelance photographer before the digital age, so imagine my horror when I saw some guy on his knees opening EVERY film holder! I stopped him and asked what he thought he was doing. He said he was looking for money that someone might've hidden! He had already opened and exposed to daylight, every exposed film and these would've been taken in the 50's. There might've been some historic photos on that film, but some idiot, who didn't even know what he was handling, LOOKING FOR TREASURE, might've destroyed a real treasure in his hands and didn't even realize he was doing it!

[@huskytail]

This hurts to read, I can't imagine to see it in person. You are a better human than I am, I wouldn't have just asked him what he's doing.

[@exee1]

The film would have long ago been expired and gone bad, you would recover nothing if developed.

[@justdoingitjim7095]

@@exee1 You are wrong! Film from WWII has been recovered in recent years and developed and had fairly clear pictures on them. Clearly you don't understand how the expiration dates on film works. I used to be a studio photographer for a company and my boss regularly gave us expired film to use so they could cut costs. Most of these shoots were for "coupon shots" where someone would cut out a coupon for one free photograph at our studio. Of course we took several different poses and then when they were developed the salesman would try to sell them all of the poses after they got their one free photo. Only a trained professional could tell the difference between shots with fresh film and shots with expired film!

[@user-kj6ns3gn8v]

@@justdoingitjim7095 you tell him jim

[@danor6812]

When I looked through the comments. I noticed something. It seems everyone missed the part where the nephew says. He was told the painting was stolen by his aunt years ago. Well before you sell it and everything else for 2000 dollars. Wouldn't one wonder about a stolen painting? People don't steal art work that they could buy for a few dollars. So just the mention it was stolen, should have him thinking it was worth a lot more than a share of 2000 dollars. I have a hunch he just wanted to get rid of it. Not wanting to be involved with the painting.

[@patrickryan5570]

Fair play to the thrift shop owner who called the college to say he had their painting in his possession.

[@team3383]

He couldn't have sold it ...

[@ifmbm332b]

Signed paintings from well-known artists can't be sold on the regular market.

[@team3383]

@@ifmbm332b Of course you can. Get caught selling a stolen painting by a well-known artist on the regular market. LOL.

[@jamiesherrill1590]

@@team3383 he didnt steal it so he cant get charged

[@team3383]

@@jamiesherrill1590 You don't have to steal something to get charged with concealing a stolen item in your home. But he did steal it so too bad.

[@tinalouiseking]

Lmao... people need to stop thinking that they know their family members. Family members and people usually show their true selves to strangers. They stole that painting. And it's probably not the first thing they stole.

[@evanw2195]

5.6M views stealing will never be cool

[@elias_xp95]

@@evanw2195 Stealing is already cool.

[@DodgingBullets22]

@@evanw2195 I think Robin would disagree

[@calebmatthews2026]

@@evanw2195 ummm... there are literally hundreds of Hollywood blockbuster films glorifying theft. The majority of movie goers, and therefore the general populous seem to disagree with you. Stealing may be illegal and arguably most always unethical, but it's certainly not "uncool."

[@jessmaynard7751]

You only know someone as well as they let you know them

[@monicaaasen3950]

Pretty damn good art thieves. ......didn't get caught till after they died😂wonder how much art has been stolen by them to support their lavish lifestyle?

[@franceskava5683]

They most likely dealt in stolen antiquities from other countries as well as artifacts from NM

[@soso8824]

A movie should be made about this couple. 😂 Seriously.

[@soisaidtogod4248]

They were never "caught", speculation is not evidence.

[@sharksport01]

Thieves and liars are disgusting. Guarantee that they were never happy.

[@AJ12Gamer]

@@sharksport01 I know right. Traveling the world is so unhappy. 😅

[@demoman]

5:06 I would be looking for the 120 carat stone they have hiding in the wall like he says in his short stories.... hmmmm

[@PixelBoyMiner]

Some random worker knocking the place down is gonna get really really rich

[@ericag5346]

The painting is the stone...

[@lazymaximus1224]

Erica Goff or is it? Lol

[@ericag5346]

@@lazymaximus1224 I mean... Wouldn't hurt to rip the place apart looking for something! 😝

[@DarcieGlam]

Me too!

[@billyrigby4839]

RIP Jerry and Rita. What life you really lived we’ll never know. I think I want to read his book of short stories. Maybe we’ll find some clues to other heists and lost treasures?

[@rlight7666]

Exactly what I was thinking!

[@Waverunnerskateco]

rip? they're criminals...

[@benwood1867]

@@Waverunnerskateco if all they did was relocate antiques then it is crime but there's a scale

[@janerainsford8996]

I hope to live long enough to see the Rembrandt painting Storm on the Sea of Galilee that’s was stolen from the Stewart Gardener Museum in Boston on March 18, 1990. That work of art gave me so much pleasure and solace in hard times. In the painting one of the men clinging to the tossing boat is looking right at the viewer of the painting. It’s a self portrait of the artist. I felt as if he was a personal friend of mine. The famous heist kidnapped my dear friend. I long to see him again.

[@rogerelder1196]

The painting was probably the first thing stolen by them. Being so unique and stolen so close to where they were living they couldn't sell it. So they traveled from then on to steal other items once they knew they could get away with it.

[@MR-bn9wv]

Turns out that they stole 2 more paintings 5 months earlier from a museum In Taos.

[@DursunX]

true partners in crime take their secrets to the grave

[@franceslovato9842]

Wow, that painting is worth 165 million dollars? Amazing because you can't even tell what it is..?????? It's that hideous! 😱

[@shariwelch8760]

It's an abstracted woman. I don't know how you can't see that it's a woman. And it was never meant to be pretty. There's a message in its ugliness.

[@franceslovato9842]

@@shariwelch8760 ..I cannot see a woman in the painting because the form of a person/woman is not visible, DUH. I think you only know it's an abstract painting of a woman because you were informed it was a painting of a woman. To me & other people it just looks like a doodle scribble that a (1) year old child can do.

[@KayInMaine]

You don't see the round circles in the painting? Those are boobies. The head is above the boobies.

[@franceslovato9842]

@@KayInMaine ..Lol Now that you've pointed them out now I see the deformed boobies in the painting. 😂

[@gwenscott535]

NOt everyone has an artist eye and that is why not all people value the arts the same.

[@tellthetruthna8523]

2:13 They locked a $165 million dollar painting in the bathroom for safekeeping. lol

[@DigitalicaEG]

sounds like they were a fun couple to have around, may they RIP

[@danseabreeze1404]

LOL! As long as they didn't say "Just keep the engine running, we'll be right back!"

[@DigitalicaEG]

@Ben Jammin’ nice beard

[@-anonymous6117]

I need milk

[@itsjustnopinionok]

Until they robbed you blind.

[@absolince]

Totally

[@mazzer37]

Obscene really that a piece of canvas with a coat of paint could be valued so highly.

[@mimis.4093]

I think the painting is ugly..... How do they price those things?

[@gwenscott535]

THe value isn't in the canvas and paint , it is in the skill it took to create the final product.

[@said8784]

Scarcity. There is only one of this exact painting, and enough people with enough wealth are willing to spend that much on the painting.

[@2Btoobee]

You should have seen how the artist created it lol, just continuously spilling expensive paint over and over again, and then they gonna call it "rare art" lmao

[@marshamarshall6840]

Mickey Mantle baseball card recently sold at auction for 12.6 million....

[@allenhanford]

De Kooning's paintings were awful the day they were painted. Hard to see how you could damage one

[@mqbitsko25]

Anybody else find it funny that a "modern art masterpiece" can go unnoticed for years? LOL! It looks like it was commissioned for a doctor's office circa 1970.

[@bob.evans.8679]

Modern art is shit

[@gwenscott535]

No it was hidden in their bedroom behind the door. How many bedrooms of other people have you been in this year?

[@MTSGaming]

It was hidden behind their bedroom door so no one else could see it. It was noticed pretty much immediately once it was in view of the public by multiple people. Did you watch the video breh?

[@04dram04]

@@gwenscott535 The point is, it dosnt look like a masterpiece until its in a museum

[@nunyabiznez6381]

It looks like something one would find in the "art" bin of any thrift store. Personally, if I'd seen it for sale in a thrift store for $10 I would have only examined it to see if I liked the frame and if the canvas could have been painted over as something else.

[@brianbrewster6532]

Q: How can alleged thieves make money off of a stolen painting IF THEY HAD IT WITH THEM HANGING IN THEIR HOUSE? Obviously, there is much more to this story than authorities are alluding to.

[@seapearltoo1]

This is not the FULL Documentary...see the link in the description.

[@FaithandNova]

Obviously they kept their favorite or biggest heist. They were thieves

[@tommyboybr]

They probably stole way more than that painting. Like a LOT more.

[@NoticeDesign]

HUH? Because if you are willing to steal one you are willing to steal many and they sold the other ones.

[@nunyabiznez6381]

I would guess they sole a lot of things and made their living off selling stolen things. Three reasonable explanations come to mind. They might have stolen it to sell to a specific collector who backed out of the deal or they simply liked the painting and decided to keep it. Or they simply found it impossible to fence and decided to keep it knowing that nobody would recognize it hanging in their bedroom.

[@7.5Mviews]

i hope one of them kept a diary. i would love to know more about the couple's lives. i bet they were secret agents and those trips were really for espionage. Hollywood, please make that movie now!

[@04dram04]

Dont romanticize is. They are scumbag crooks

[@elizabethquinlan5126]

It flat boggles my mind for ANYTHING to be worth that amount of money!

[@nvmm166]

Art like this is used to store value, like gold, the value of it is completely subjective and is normally used to skirt taxes

[@riggs20]

It's fascinating to me how one piece of art (which I personally find ugly) can be worth $165 million and another be worth $10. When in reality neither one has any intrinsic value. It's value is all about what people are willing to pay. If everyone saw the painting and had the same reaction I did, it would suddenly be worth nothing but the value of its frame. It's kind of the same deal with collectibles. Their worth is entirely based on what people decide it is. It's a crazy world we live in if you think about it.

[@mediadon6545]

Value of a painting is not what's on the painting rather people's perception on the value of the painting, the fame of an artist, age of the painting and such

[@zoezzzarko1117]

Indeed, Dreamer... indeed.

[@user-yb8vr2ip2t]

Diamonds have no intrinsic value either...🤷‍♂️

[@moreofawave]

Well, yeah. Often time that 'worth' is pushed/fabricated on purpose and not warranted in most cases.

[@riggs20]

@@user-yb8vr2ip2t True! Same concept. They’re “valuable” because we perceive them as such. Although, technically, they do have some intrinsic value since you can use them on drill bits! 😉

[@BlackKettleRanch]

How did that painting end up being labelled a masterpiece?

[@barbadosart7059]

I am an artist. I worked over one single artwork for 2 years and put so much in it - dedication, complete determination, 16 hours of hard work every day... And than a young galleryist from Italy stole my artwork. The feeling is totally devastating!

[@barbadosart7059]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/roalkouPa9xjaKM

[@Heart2HeartBooks]

If you wrote code for 16 hours a day for 2 years you would make a million dollars at least. That is where the money is...The Art of Code.

[@julieenslow5915]

Heart2HeartBooks Most artists - and i would include all of the masters - don't create art because of money. They sell them because they need money to paint more, true, and they like to eat. But art is more about the passion and heart of the artist. With a name like yours, i would think you would understand that. A person with the passion of a master could not choose to write code for money. They would be eating and sleeping to paint, or would not be creating art at that level. No matter not everyone understands modern art - you should know current artists of that level are passionately living to paint - not the other way around. Tell someone that codes they can make millions painting, and in less time - they would not start painting or quit coding if they were excellent at coding. You don't get excellent at anything creative without passion, and if you are doing what you are passionate about - money will never be your driving force.

[@nunyabiznez6381]

Did you ever get it back?

[@barbadosart7059]

@@nunyabiznez6381 In short, the answer is yes. But it was a long and very painful story. The gallerist had from me the artwork I write about in the upper comment + 2 small artworks. A lawyer from Bulgaria (the country I'm currently living) sent a letter to the gallerist so may be he would take the situation seriously and would send all my art back to me. But in reality the gallerist wasn't scared at all and after several letters from my lawyer, the gallerist sent back my two small artworks in a box. And probably he was thinking that he would shut our mouths. So my lawyer contacted some lawyers from Milan, Italy and they wrote a letter to the gallerist and in result he sent back the two side panels of the triptych. I assume that the gallerist didn't want to pay for shipment. After a few months the lawyers from Milan sent another letter to the gallerist, telling him that we are going to prosecute him. Finally the gallerist sent back the central panel of the triptych and I had my whole artwork back. The whole story continued for a year. During that time I got in contact with several other artists who complained on his instagram page. So I wasn't the only one robbed. And during that time I found many stories in internet about gallerists and art dealers who cheat on artists. The truth is that this is very common practice in the artworld. And I am dumb enough to spend two years of my life on a single artwork and put so much efforts into it. Up until today the gallerist is still active, in an anonymous way, and probably there are many other artists he has scammed.

[@jermed2001]

Excellent reporting!! They should win an Emmy for this.

[@jhales9208]

Makes you want to see what other items they may have had in that house. What an exciting life they must have had!

[@le_th_]

Your moral compass is beyond warped and you apparently get bored very easily. What's it like to be so shallow?

[@Mtdmpls]

Value is a matter of perception.

[@ajg8600]

There is no real perception of this painting being worth anything greater than the price of the canvas its painted on... The only people who claim to like it are just elitists trying to make themselves look sophisticated. They have delusion of grandeur, and everyone follows them down the "modern art" rabbit hole in hopes of not being left out.

[@dRILLINaTnIGHT]

Just like SUPREME a $2.00 tshirt selling for $400. No supply means High demand.

[@Constellation3232]

@@dRILLINaTnIGHT Are you comparing a hat to a painting? That painting must have taken months, and was painted by hand. Supreme clothing is manufactured by machines.

[@purplebeast1627]

@@Constellation3232 The painting may have taken hours or days, or maybe months, but that's irrelevant. Labor is meaningless, it's only the value someone places on a product that matters. Hell it could probably me mass produced for all I know.

[@joannemiddaugh122]

@@purplebeast1627 It's an original de Kooning. Not mass produced. I agree with you that the value is in what someone is willing to pay. Since de Kooning was an abstract expressionist, which was the art movement post WWII, his works are highly valued today. What's important to understand is that these identified periods of time in the art world reflect what is happening in society at the time. Look at the Renaissance period and all of the religious paintings done by multiple artists. What happened historically at the time? The Reformation. Look at Rembrandt and other contemporaries during the 17th and 18th century and them compare them to the societies in the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, England, France ---global trade (Dutch East India Co), the empire building in the New World, Africa, India, etc , the revolutions in the New World and France, etc. Artists (painters, sculptors, musicians, playwrights, etc) of any time period are mirrors that reflect back to us who we really are and what is happening at any given point in time.

[@osherbachrach3956]

No. The mystery is the painting's appraisal at $160,000,000.

[@margyrowland]

$160m? Obviously the art business is a scam. Love from Australia 🇦🇺

[@margyrowland]

Duke Of Prunes Cheers 😆😆😆

[@socialdistancejusticewarri8533]

Look up "Blue Poles". It caused quite a scandal in your country when it was purchased for around $2 million in the early 70's. Is probably worth half a billion today...

[@ghostmanscores1666]

It's a club

[@maxshiraz3447]

The real crime was committed by the artist

[@Coltn3125]

No kidding. Gives me sore eyes just looking at it.

[@ZnenTitan]

Now that's funny!

[@victorfranco5703]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@jrottendevil]

Not really, the person who originally bought it probably only paid $5.

[@raeavacado]

Not at all he donated it, if didn’t find money value to it as I’m guessing a price couldn’t top it to him, but everyone else put a money tag on it

[@MooBerry2009]

I'm trying to figure out how did they afford to go to all 7 continents and 147 countries on a teachers salary

[@lususlove]

It was hidden behind their door, they obviously knew what they had lol

[@tugboat2]

What I want to know is why the nephew didn't wonder why his aunt & uncle had a STOLEN painting and WHERE it came from?

[@EarthChickadee]

I guess he didn't recognize the painting. The nephew probably only saw it once the couple passed away. I would imagine that *nobody* saw the painting until *after* they died because they had it "hidden" away *BEHIND* the door so only *THEY* could see it *IF* they closed that door........ Would *you* have known or recognized that painting right off the bat? I most certainly would *not* have......... No telling *what ELSE* (priceless antiques) were sold to that antique shop because *clearly* these "teachers" who traveled the word were *PROFESSIONAL* thieves!

[@DovieRuthAuthor]

He seemed clueless.

[@nunyabiznez6381]

My sister is a teacher. My grandmother, aunt and great grandmother were teachers. The mother of a friend of mine is a teacher. They don't have million dollar bank accounts. Teachers don't make that kind of money. They barely eek out a living. These people didn't get a million dollars from their teaching salaries. They would have had to put aside $25k a year every year for their entire career and teachers are not able to do that. It is obvious they were in some sort of illegal business. Given what was in their possession all those years, most likely they were dealers in stolen art or something similar.

[@squamish4244]

It's funny, their lifestyle didn't seem particularly odd to me because in Canada teachers are highly paid. ($70k full-time starting wage.) And a lot do travel, just not to that extent. But I know such is not the case in the USA.

[@mattym8]

$1k/mo for 25 years gets you to a milly. The money is invested of course. Just SPX.

[@andyjohnson3790]

Screw the great painting, I want their more amazing plot of land that they lived on. That house is more than priceless and will be even more rare and impossible to replicate in the future.

[@oldrestless]

Nerd

[@chercher304]

Imagine the stolen antiques/art they had in there all sold for $2000!!! That nephew is a fool!!!

[@reneegloss1718]

I find it really odd that he cut the painting out to take it... just like the paintings that were cut out of their frames at the Isabella Steward Gardner museum

[@LindaTCornwall]

Not a very good antiques dealer if they didn't recognise a de Kooning signature! lmao..

[@pdubs7069]

He should be embarrassed!!

[@No1reallydies]

The signature is the last thing that I would recognize from an artist

[@Doors067]

me: shits gotta be a reproduction. bidding starts at $10!

[@tabbwinwinning548]

He is a Junk Man...lol

[@KayInMaine]

He most likely did know what he was buying for $2000 (painting and all the other antiques) but was being coy by saying he didn't recognize the signature. The signature is the first thing we ALL look for when viewing ANY painting.

[@thelonelyghosts9004]

60 Minutes did a fascinating story on this, and all the other stolen paintings, years ago. You could tell Leslie Stahl was just as fascinated by this story as her watchers would be

[@hd-xc2lz]

Unanswered is how they afforded the world travel. Other thefts?

[@franzgrabe1]

I hope so!!

[@rcoveyduc]

Could be international thieves, but some of the pictures are from remote places. Spooks would be my guess. Teaching was a cover. World travel masked clandestine operations. All fascinating at any rate.

[@franzgrabe1]

@@rcoveyduc And extremely exciting!!!

[@hd-xc2lz]

@@rcoveyduc Excellent observation! Add to that there was no discussion of other possibly stolen works in the home by the police, and as spooks you would expect they could effectively recognize the flaws in building security just by naked eye observation alone.

[@julieenslow5915]

Why would someone steal a masterpiece of that caliber and never steal anything before or since? Does not add up. Either their travel was connected to other thefts or they did other thefts to pay for their travel - either way - they were connected!

[@victorfranco5703]

The Real Crime is paying that much for that hot mess😂😂😂

[@americanpatriot3667]

Victor Franco people but shit like that everyday the filthy rich would blow that on a painting and won’t think twice about it

[@ldg508]

I have always wondered where my great grandfather got his money from. When he died I found out he was a bootlegger back during prohibition

[@jodeg205]

Hollywood should make a movie about this couple.

[@curlyanneb1973]

Well, anyone who would pay that much money for that painting, needs to be robbed. Sorry...

[@Yora21]

You pay that much money for a painting or a diamond because you want to tell the world that you can afford to give away that much money for no return in value. They want to be seen throwing away money.

[@amartje0108]

@@Yora21 I would rather throw my money away then buy this shit

[@annacoribioanna]

Geesh! a female artist in the 1600 sold a piece of paper cut art (that she made to look like a painting because women were not allowed) for THREE times that of Rembrandt's "Night Watch"....., she is forgotten and this sells for 160 million??? how is that so! ...there is FAR better art out there.....Honestly I don't see anything interesting or beautiful in this painting. Watch "Women in Art" documentary (is on youtube) to see AMAZING, splendid, breathtaking art from female painters succumbed into obscurity purposely by men who had the power to make themselves famous with connections. SERIOUSLY Your jaw will drop. Mine did and my eye for art changed forever.

[@peterfireflylund]

There are plenty of overhyped female artists as well.

[@nunyabiznez6381]

One of my favorite movies was the Thomas Crown Affair. Best art heist movie ever. This reminds me of that.

[@femmebrulee5053]

I love that movie, both versions.

[@mauricioibarra701]

$165 million for a painting? Who are the real thieves here?

[@lorendsalazar]

The crime here is why is this piece of stuff by de Kooning is considered a "Masterpiece" worth $165 Million dollars. Fraud is crime too ya know. The painting would be a depressing distraction in any home or office. They should have argued they were doing the public a favor by hiding it behind a door. Public service is not a crime. :) .

[@larryswanson5911]

Lmfao!! 100% true

[@JohntechFL]

If I had it all over to do again I'd def get into high dollar art fraud.

[@unbroken1010]

You and me😀😂

[@rhdtv2002]

@@unbroken1010 hey me too

[@littleripper312]

I like how that painting is considered a masterpiece. You'd literally have to pay me to hang that ugly painting in my house.

[@victorfranco5703]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@redwoods7370]

Thank you. I couldn't have said it better.

[@julesmartin6972]

You must be the kind of guy that prefers the painting at 3:33 right

[@merryhunt9153]

To me the big mystery is how that painting could be worth much money. Don't assume the owners were the thieves. A lot of art thieves don't know how to sell what they steal, and the aunt and uncle might have come across it at a market somewhere.

[@le_th_]

Are you deaf? The people who stole it were a man and woman, driving a "burnt orange" getaway car with no license plate, they lived 2 hours away from the museum, AND the painting was found...BEHIND A DOOR...so that if anyone entered the room, they would not SEE the painting as the door would hide it. How have you made it this far in life not being able to connect the dots to so many facts?

[@raymondgarlick4624]

Thank you for sharing this story.... I love it....

[@goPJgoPJ]

I guess they could not find anybody willing to pay anything for that ugly thing.

[@pinkpugs3337]

It's ugly , wouldn't pay a dime for it ... but that's my opinion!

[@watchjaredwork1487]

Art thieves that never got caught. Legends.

[@le_th_]

Only to those with a severely warped moral compass.

[@dumyjobby]

me at the antique shop. Me: how much is that painting shop owner: 160 dollars Me: that's too much, who pays so much for that crap? shop owner: 160 million dollar Me: oooh that is the most beautiful painting i've ever seen

[@desoztopdesoz2456]

the real criminals are the art phonies that pretend that crap is worth 100s of millions

[@desoztopdesoz2456]

@@frequencyfluxfandango8504 never heard of that story, but have heard of stories of wine phonies not being able to tell which was a 20 dollar wine and a 1000 dollar wine

[@deepcitrus7023]

talk about ignorance...

[@desoztopdesoz2456]

@@deepcitrus7023 you are one of the phonies it sounds like, you fool nobody idiot

[@SlicedSlappy]

desoz topdesoz value is subjective

[@pdubs7069]

Very true .... stuff is only worth what someone will pay for it!

[@thecellm8tube]

where people paying 165M for painting like that there are problems in the brain

[@justonejlking]

Cell m8 they’re used to launder money

[@ParmMohan-us6rn]

Justone Jk Please explain to me how it is money laundering? I don't get it. Thanx in advance!

[@ParmMohan-us6rn]

word Wow, really? That's why rich people collect art pieces. Would museums really pay much for exhibit pieces?

[@davidkennedy6022]

"That's not the aunt and uncle I knew " OPEN YOUR EYES BOI they had a hustle!

[@lisastallingskeelor3328]

Must be nice to live a life off the theft of stolen property and get away with it Scott free. 😡😡

[@ANTINUTZI]

... Would have passed it by at a garage sale ...

[@persephoneblack888]

This is why we don't go selling our relatives antiques without doing RESEARCH. Lol Every antique I own has been thoroughly researched and I've been compiling a book of them with pictures so my future relatives don't make the mistake of selling my stuff for dirt cheap! Also, as a teacher myself you basically have to pull heists to have any money 😂 it doesn't pay well to teach.

[@tedkaczynskiamericanhero3916]

My grandmother retired from teaching, she was over 80k a year. Teaching pays well, and the numbers prove it.

[@toml671]

You can clearly see it's by Willem DeKooning, I'm surprised he didn't notice it at first.

[@julieenslow5915]

Not everyone knows who that is, or even cares. You have to be knowledgeable about that fact, or very knowledgeable about modern paintings to even suspect it is a masterpiece.

[@elitecomsubin]

In a blink of my eye..a flash...your stupid if you not see this is from willem de koning..like michael jackson,we all know who willem de koning is.

[@tothadrian5943]

@@julieenslow5915 Yes, because if it wouldnt be a DeKooning it would not be considered as a masterpiece, in fact no one would buy it.

[@robingagan6288]

Willem dekookoo

[@tothadrian5943]

@@elitecomsubin okay mr.sofisticated :)

[@wparo]

The biggest theft is making the world believe this painting is worth 160million. My father is an oil painter and sells his paintings x2 for 10 euros. When I asked him why don't you sell them higher? He said they cost me about 4 euros I am already making €6 profit.

[@yourmehbi-tc-h8862]

imagine selling a 165m painting to an antique store i would not only be pissed but also salty as hell

[@RADIUMGLASS]

They could have sold it on the black market instead

[@Garapetsa]

Takes money to make all those trips. Sounds like they stole stuff and sold them too.

[@THT01]

Their souls did not ascend. This time.

[@bleueviolette4549]

Fascinated by this - has the integrity of the painting been damaged by it being cut out of the frame? Surly there most be some damage! The painting is home again, but oh the crime remains a mystery!

[@fortusvictus8297]

Nah, that implies it has some physical value. If anything, the value went up because of the story. The painting and canvas are worthless, it is the 'provenance' that sells.

[@user-ym5io2ul1o]

If I saw that at a yard sale, I wouldn't pay a quarter.

[@greenspringvalley]

I would pay four dollars for the canvas and paint somthing over it.

[@ariellepierog734]

I love it!! I hope it was tgem that took it. I like to imagine they were international art thieves that funded a great exciting life style that most only imagine. As long as no one was ever physically hurt I say kudos. They must have been the ones that stole it. Occam's razor theory is rarely wrong. They were in the area both educated in the arts. They were able to afford a lifestyle that didnt seem to be in alignment with that of teachers but hey what do I know. Maybe im just romanticizing this whole notion but either way it is very intriguing.

[@vlonebandit3359]

I knew I left that painting somewhere

[@CAPITALIZER44]

What kind of university has a $165M painting?

[@nealmacdonald9896]

Wouldn't cutting a painting from the frame reduce the size of the painting if you wanted to re-frame it????

[@NjanPravasi]

There exactly a story material for a movie right here... Amazing couples with an extra ordinary dream and accomplished through stealing... Artistoostealic

[@zoezzzarko1117]

With Frances McDormand and... William H Macy 💎😎💖

[@crystalwizard]

i wouldn't pay 5 cents for that ugly thing. That's not a masterpiece, that's just an example of the scam that can take place when some marketing people hype something up.

[@drewglue]

Art is art and the way it makes you feel is beautiful but that's something I can't put a price on so I'd have to agree lmao

[@karllieck9064]

The biggest heist is putting a $160,000,000 price tag on that piece of shit painting.

[@WBsteve]

Wheres the movie at? i want to see it.

[@youtubeblockscomments]

I’m sure they did more thefts than just this one. Crazy they never got caught.

[@iagreewithyoubub]

Maybe they stole all that Isabella Stewart Gardner museum art 30 years ago.

[@sevensolaris]

How is this a crime? They removed an ugly piece of abstract art and hid it in their house so no one would have to look at it. I think a thank you is in order.

[@golightly5121]

Lindon Lamont 😂🤣😂

[@abcdefghi9]

Travel 140 countries, 20 acre property with pool,million dollar bank account, $165m stolen artwork. Something very strange and fishy,seems like they worked as fence for stolen art and antiques.

[@donsmith957]

Have a Elaine De Kooning..always wonder how I bought it so cheap

[@TrueHoodEnt]

Seems to me that the uglier the painting the more it's worth 🤷🏾‍♂️🖼

[@lesliebblack]

My guess is the aunt & uncle stole the painting for their own viewing pleasure, but it still doesn’t explain their wealth & a million left in their estate...

[@jimmyfortrue3741]

Probably never found a contact they could sell it to without worrying about getting caught... Not that easy to unload a stolen de Kooning.

[@KpxUrz5745]

Probably the greatest painting I've seen in many years.

[@myintx]

I want to know how much money Jerry made on his book, if they may have inherited some of their money and who was the investigator who read Jerry''s book and found the similar story....

[@myintx]

Also, did they have children and what did the children know? Why is the nephew the executor of the will and not one of their children (I saw somewhere that they had 2 children).

[@vivekvinay4084]

A beautiful story. Could become a thread for a movie script.....

[@shaneintegra]

that couple DEFINETLEY lived their lives to the fullest. RIP

[@peterpeterson3266]

How rotten to the core do you have to be to steal something that isn't yours? Hope they're rotting in hell.

[@dorothyjaques74]

lol.. hard to steal something that IS yours

[@henrik5761]

They visited 160 countries? Were they never worried that their painting could be stolen? Again

[@triplesevensix291]

I reckon they did it. That story of the jewel was just too similar. Lol. Crafty so & so's. Hardcore school teachers man!

[@milootje007]

Bonny and Clyde lol...

[@wildman2012]

I know de Kooning is a well-known artist, but $165 million? Seriously? The art market (at least valuations,) are way out of control!

[@JamesHawkeYouTube]

Paintings valued at $165 million - IS the real scam in the first place.