US man arrested in $11m fake sculpture case

A US foundry owner could face up to 20 years in jail after being charged with trying to sell a fake Jasper Johns sculpture for $11m.

Jasper Johns reportedly lent the man from New York a mold for his 1960 'Flag' sculpture more than 20 years ago. The foundry owner, as promised, made a wax cast of the sculpture, but then failed to return the mold to Johns.

Now, the Associated Press reports the foundry owner, Brian Ramnarine, is under arrest for allegedly trying to sell an $11m copy of the bronze flag sculpture made from the original mold, without the permission of the artist. Court documents claim Ramnarine forged Johns' signature to try and pass the sculpture off as the original.

Having been arrested at his home in Queens this week, Ramnarine faces the prospect of a court case that could result in a lengthy prison sentence. The charge, wire fraud, carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years.