• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Fraudster Blames London Party Scene For His Crimes

Home> News

Published 10:42 6 Apr 2022 GMT+1

Fraudster Blames London Party Scene For His Crimes

A former art dealer has suggested that London’s party scene is to blame for him conning people out of £65.5 million

Aisha Nozari

Aisha Nozari

A former art dealer has suggested that London’s party scene is to blame for his £65.5 million ($86 million) swindling.

Inigo Philbrick, 34, is currently facing a 20-year prison sentence for defrauding art collectors and lenders out of tens of millions. 

Court documents have now revealed that he claims ‘drinking alcohol throughout the day and using illegal drugs is how art deals are done’.

A New York court was also told this month that Philbrick ‘had a reputation for hard drinking’.

Advert

London is one of the world's party capitals: Alamy
London is one of the world's party capitals: Alamy

Philbrick – who shares a young daughter with his Made In Chelsea fiancée Victoria Baker-Harber – has been accused by US prosecutors of being a ‘serial swindler’.

According to The Times, Philbrick pleaded guilty to ‘one count of wire fraud for perpetrating a multi-year scheme to defraud various individuals and entities in order to finance his art business’ in November.

Once Philbrick's fraudulent behaviour started coming to light, he disappeared but was then arrested on a South Pacific island in June 2020.  

Gilbert and George: Alamy
Gilbert and George: Alamy

Advert

Philbrick’s legal team told the New York court that he will turn over the millions of fraudulently-obtained funds he owns, and that he has ‘immediately accepted responsibility for his criminal conduct and provided information on other frauds in the art market’.

The former art world star moved from his hometown in Connecticut to study at Goldsmiths University, before taking up an internship at White Cube Gallery in 2005.

During his internship, Philbrick met famous British artists Gilbert & George, who provided a character reference to the New York court.

They hailed him as being ‘a very talented, extraordinary, charming, honest and decent young person’.

Philbrick later took charge of galleries in both Mayfair and Miami. 

Advert

Twenty years is the maximum sentence facing Philbrick, whose fraudulent activity took place between 2016 and 2019.

According to Tatler, when asked by a judge why he decided to con people out of so much money, Philbrick replied: “For the money, your honour.”

The outlet adds that Philbrick’s attorney, Jeffrey Lichtman, said: “It’s a sad day for Inigo, but he’s happy to put this behind him. The industry is corrupt from top to bottom. Inigo isn’t the cause here, he’s a symptom. 

“I suspect many more cases like this would appear if the art world were investigated thoroughly.

“While his actions were dishonest and criminal in nature, he’s part of an industry sick from top to bottom where this sort of behaviour is sadly commonplace. That being said, he apologises to his victims and will do all that he can to make them whole.”

Featured Image Credit: Instagram/@victoriabh

Topics: Art

Aisha Nozari
Aisha Nozari

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

7 hours ago
9 hours ago
11 hours ago
  • 7 hours ago

    Elon Musk urges release of Epstein files weeks after accusing Trump of being involved in fiery X rant

    Musk made a bombshell claim about his former 'first buddy'

    News
  • 9 hours ago

    Arne Slot releases emotional statement after Diogo Jota tragically dies aged 28

    The Liverpool forward and his brother died this morning

    News
  • 9 hours ago

    Mum says picture of her son at nursery saved his life after camera flash revealed rare disease

    Laura Davies, from Wales, says she would have 'never known' without the photo

    News
  • 11 hours ago

    Brit, 29, who fell ill moments after getting tattoo on hen do fighting for life in coma

    Poppy-Mae Crutchley began to feel unwell 'instantly' after she got the inking in the Spanish party hotspot

    News
  • Man shows terrifying thing that happened after he left 'world's most haunted object' in his house
  • Woman who 'let public do anything to her' in shocking experiment has outrageous plan for when she dies
  • Artist suffered one huge change to body after letting spectators do anything to her for six hours
  • Dad completes London Marathon with 20kg on back in memory of his son