[CPProt.net] physician and Harvard professor to stand trial for allegedly trying to sell a fake painting to an undercover police officer

[MusSecNetworkCulPropProtNet]

 Socal man to stand trial in art fraud case

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES - A former physician and Harvard professor was ordered Thursday
to stand trial for attempted grand theft for allegedly trying to sell a fake
Mary Cassatt painting for $800,000 to an undercover police officer.

Dvilas Likhite, 66, of Mission Viejo was arrested Dec. 16 after police said
he tried to make the deal with an officer he believed was a businessman.

He allegedly told police he also had a $28 million Brancusi sculpture and
works by Willem de Kooning, Jackson Pollock and Hans Hofmann. About 120
items at his home and a storage unit were seized.

Police said Likhite moved to Orange County after he was convicted of selling
fake art in Massachusetts in 1989.

To avoid discovery of his knockoffs, police said, Likhite sold his
collection to people less familiar with fine art.

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