Seattle Artists Arrested

[The Hammer]

Two people are being charged with violating the Federal Indian Arts and Crafts Act which prohibits the misrepresentation of Native American and Alaskan arts and crafts.

2 artists have been charged with faking Native American heritage

 

[Twilight Hue]

This country is getting more bizzare by the minute.

While I think its dishonest and glad it's exposed, I don't think it warrants any prison time.

Probably a civil suit would be more appropriate.

 

[Valjean]

So both the merchants and merchandise were fake?
I think I find the counterfeit crafts more blameworthy. You meet people misrepresenting themselves every day.

 

[Revoltingest]

This country is getting more bizzare by the minute.

While I think its dishonest and glad it's exposed, I don't think it warrants any prison time.

Probably a civil suit would be more appropriate.

Making forgeries criminal is useful.
Civil suits alone as remedy couldn't keep
up with prolific forgers, who could easily
make themselves uncollectible.
Thus, it's useful to make fraud a crime.

 

[The Hammer]

So both the merchants and merchandise were fake?
I think I find the counterfeit crafts more blameworthy. You meet people misrepresenting themselves every day.

I think it's the fact that they were passing themselves off as Natives, creating "native" art, and then profiting off of it's sale, which is the crime. Not the pretending to be native.

 

[Brickjectivity]

I think it's the fact that they were passing themselves off as Natives, creating "native" art, and then profiting off of it's sale, which is the crime. Not the pretending to be native.

Its like...some kind of mental blindness. Some people are so audacious and unscrupulous. It wouldn't even have occurred to me to do this, and I don't know why. I would instantly be aware that I was an imposter. I'd feel like an imposter. It just seems very odd to think "I know. I'll pretend to be Amish, so I can charge higher prices."

 

[Twilight Hue]

Its like...some kind of mental blindness. Some people are so audacious and unscrupulous. It wouldn't even have occurred to me to do this, and I don't know why. I would instantly be aware that I was an imposter. I'd feel like an imposter. It just seems very odd to think "I know. I'll pretend to be Amish, so I can charge higher prices."

Kind of reminds me of Amish mafia where people pretended to be Amish on a reality show that misrepresented the real Amish for ratings profit.

It raised up quite a stir for a bit.

The fact that a person can get arrested for pretending to be someone or something else sets a very disturbing trend imo.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I think it's the fact that they were passing themselves off as Natives, creating "native" art, and then profiting off of it's sale, which is the crime.

It is indeed a crime to do exactly that. I forget what's it called but I've seen it on tags amd signs of American Indian stores. It kind of reminded me of the paperback book warning that if the book is missing the covers it may be stolen.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Kind of reminds me of Amish mafia where people pretended to be Amish on a reality show that misrepresented the real Amish for ratings profit.

It raised up quite a stir for a bit.

The fact that a person can get arrested for pretending to be someone or something else sets a very disturbing trend imo.

It's not just the pretending to be, it's especially the forged goods that are passed off as authentic. That in general is a crime. Kind of like with forged designer clothes, except Prada doesn't have the same broad appeal as Native art, and not as vulnerable to exploitation.

 

[Twilight Hue]

It's not just the pretending to be, it's especially the forged goods that are passed off as authentic. That in general is a crime. Except Prada doesn't have the same broad appeal as Native art, and not as vulnerable to exploitation.

It's why I see this as more of a civil matter than a criminal one.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

It's why I see this as more of a civil matter than a criminal one.

If I sell you speakers labeled as Boise that I made from bargain bin parts and a 3D printed case then I have broken the law, and for good reason. I scammed you and violated copyright/patent (I don't recall the exact difference at this moment) laws, and it is possible the counterfeit items will continue down being passed off as authentic beyond the initial transaction.
Really, there are possibly many laws this can be prosecuted with. But it just so happens there is a specific one that helps protects Native art and artifacts from being flooded with counterfeit items.

 

[Revoltingest]

It's why I see this as more of a civil matter than a criminal one.

There is often intersection between civil & criminal
when public interest is served by the latter.
Consider predatory lenders who change contract
terms without informing borrowers. Were this
strictly a civil matter, they'd get away with it easily.
But making such fraud a crime gives the state attorney
general power to prosecute offenders, & make the
victims whole. This also sends a message that keeps
other would-be fraudsters in line.

 

[PureX]

They weren't "artists", they were con men. And they were stealing from the real native artists who's work they were copying. Thus, they should be treated like any other criminal that lies, cheats, and steals form people.