50. How an A-List Art Advisor Ran a Ponzi Scheme | The Lisa Schiff Case
Description
An A-list art adviser. A velvet-rope world built on trust. And one word that made $1.8M vanish: “gone.”
This week we unpack the rise and fall of Lisa Schiff—from scholarly beginnings and blue-chip access (think Paris galleries, Tribeca offices and celebrity clients) to the playbook prosecutors say she ran for years: diverting client funds, stalling payouts, and papering over holes until the scheme collapsed. We break down how art advising should work, what a Ponzi scheme actually is, the Hong Kong sale that triggered the unraveling, and Schiff’s guilty plea, 30-month sentence, and multimillion-dollar restitution. Expect art-world mechanics, gossip-level receipts, and practical takeaways on provenance, payments, and protecting yourself in private sales.
Steph Recommends: Trashy true-crime docs on Disney+/Binge (e.g., Mean Girl Murders) as easy background watches.
Joel Recommends: Utopia (Aussie workplace comedy) as a bingeable, anxiety-tinged office satire.
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