Police bust plot to sell fake artwork purportedly by Rembrandt, Picasso

A major international plot involving the sale of suspected forged paintings by renowned artists has been uncovered, police announced on Friday. The scheme spanned three countries and involved fake works attributed to masters such as Rembrandt, Pablo Picasso, and Frida Kahlo.

The main suspect, a 77-year-old German man, allegedly attempted to sell 20 counterfeit paintings. These included purported pieces by Flemish old master Peter Paul Rubens, Spanish artist Joan Miró, and Italian sculptor Amedeo Modigliani. Authorities in Bavaria revealed that he was assisted by 10 accomplices in the operation.

Investigators first grew suspicious when the suspect tried to sell two alleged original Picasso paintings on the art market. One of these artworks depicted Dora Maar, a French photographer, painter, and poet who was Picasso’s most famous muse, according to BBC News.

The police stated that the man subsequently sought to sell *De Staalmeesters*, a famous oil painting by Rembrandt, for 120 million Swiss francs (approximately $150 million). However, the original painting is permanently displayed at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The copy, believed to have been made in the 20th century, was found in the possession of an 84-year-old Swiss woman who is now also under investigation.

“After examination by an art expert, it was confirmed that the painting was indeed a copy and not a lost masterpiece by Rembrandt van Rijn,” police reported, as cited by BBC.

The fake paintings were being offered at prices ranging from 400,000 euros to about 130 million euros (roughly $465,000 to $150 million), police said in a statement.

Last week, authorities conducted coordinated searches in multiple locations across southern Germany, Berlin, several areas in Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. During these raids, the main suspect and another German man, aged 74, were arrested. The second suspect is accused of preparing forged authenticity reports for the artworks. Both men have since been released on bail.

Police confirmed that all confiscated paintings will undergo detailed examination by experts and appraisers over the coming weeks to assess their authenticity.

This extensive investigation highlights the ongoing challenges art markets face with forged masterpieces, emphasizing the importance of vigilance and expert scrutiny.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/art-forgeries-plot-bust-germany-police-rembrandt-picasso-frida-kahlo/

Skin-crawling pics inside CT house of horrors where wicked stepmom is accused of locking up son for decades

**Haunting Photos Reveal Interior of Connecticut “House of Horrors” Where Stepson Was Allegedly Imprisoned for Over Two Decades**

Skin-crawling photos have emerged showing the chilling interior of a Connecticut “house of horrors,” where a wicked stepmother allegedly imprisoned her stepson in appalling conditions for more than 20 years.

The images, obtained by The Post just weeks after a judge ruled Kimberly Sullivan, 57, could return to the Waterbury home, reveal a scene of devastation. The house was scorched by a fire set by her 32-year-old stepson in February, as he attempted to escape from her clutches, according to police.

Now standing empty after the blaze, most of the rooms have been reduced to bare beams and boards. Drywall and plaster have been torn from nearly all the walls, while loose wires, dirt, debris, and broken glass litter the dark, nearly uninhabitable halls.

One room, however, appears untouched by the fire, offering clues to the tastes of the lady of the house. In a hot pink den on the first floor, a large pair of women’s eyes with full red lips seductively peer across the room toward a poster of a kitten lounging in a lawn chair, with “Lazy Days” scrawled over it. Hanging in a ceiling corner, a doll with blonde hair and piercing blue eyes watches over the room.

In the remains of the kitchen, a half-melted poster of Marilyn Monroe hangs over the counter. But the rest of the house is barren. Upstairs, nearly all traces of the alcove where Sullivan’s stepson was allegedly held since age 11 have been burned away or knocked down after the fire tore through the room.

One relic remains: a stained lace angel’s wing pinned to the raw wood where the stepson spent years imprisoned, forced to use bottles as a bathroom and passing the endless hours by counting cars out the windows.

The stepson, known only as “S,” weighed just 68 pounds when responding firefighters discovered him covered in filth amidst the burning home on February 17. He quickly recounted a horrifying tale, claiming Sullivan had held him prisoner for more than two decades. According to authorities, she withdrew him from school as a child and locked him in an 8-by-9-foot storage space, providing only scraps of food and water for 22 hours a day or more.

Sullivan was seen at the home after the fire but was arrested within weeks. She now faces charges including unlawful restraint, kidnapping, and other abuse allegations. She has pleaded not guilty.

After posting $300,000 bail and being released, a judge issued a protection order for her stepson, who listed the Waterbury home as his address. This barred Sullivan from returning to the house. She subsequently petitioned a Connecticut court to amend the order, arguing that her stepson no longer lived there.

On October 3, a judge ruled in her favor, allowing Sullivan to return, according to NBC Connecticut. However, it remains unclear if she has gone back since. The home appears completely forgotten, with neighbors reporting no sign of her presence.

“It’s all open and it looks abandoned to me,” said next-door neighbor Zeffrey Guarnera, who has not seen Sullivan since she posted bail. “There was something I never really liked about her. There was something weird about her. I can never tell you what it was, but all our other neighbors are very friendly, wave and say hello.”

Guarnera also revealed he was unaware of the stepson’s existence until he was rescued from the home. “There was no him,” he said. “There were two daughters, that’s who I ever saw. When I found out there was a him, I was shocked.”

Sullivan has denied holding her stepson captive, instead blaming his father—who lived in the home until his death last year—for what happened. Her lawyer has also claimed the stepson could have walked away whenever he wanted.

“This is a woman who has never committed a crime in her life,” said Sullivan’s attorney, Ioannis Kaloidis, after a recent court hearing.

Sullivan is expected back in court on Halloween.
https://nypost.com/2025/10/23/us-news/inside-connecticut-house-of-horrors-where-stepmom-locked-up-son/

Junior High School Girl Dies After Fall From Building in Kabukicho

The accident occurred shortly after 5 p.m. on October 13th in Shinjuku Ward. A girl fell from a landing on a building staircase and collided with a man in his 20s who was on the ground below.

It is believed that the girl jumped intentionally. She was taken to a hospital but was pronounced dead.

The man suffered head injuries; however, his life is not in danger.

Investigators have indicated that the girl may have consumed an excessive amount of over-the-counter medication. The Metropolitan Police Department is currently working to determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
https://newsonjapan.com/article/147273.php

Osaka University Professor Sakaguchi Wins Nobel Prize

As of 3 p.m. on October 6th, Typhoon No. 22 (Halong) was moving northwest over the ocean near the Ogasawara Islands. The typhoon has intensified to form a storm zone with sustained winds exceeding 25 meters per second. Depending on its course, the typhoon may bring strong winds and heavy rain to areas along the Pacific coast from western to eastern Japan. Particularly heavy rainfall is expected across the Tokai and Kanto coastal regions, as well as the Izu Islands. Authorities are urging residents to stay alert for further updates.

In other news, Osaka University’s specially appointed professor, Shimon Sakaguchi, has been awarded this year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his groundbreaking work in immunology. Sakaguchi is best known for discovering regulatory T cells, a type of immune cell that suppresses excessive immune responses. His findings have had far-reaching implications in medical science.

On the night of October 5th, a collision occurred on the Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line in Kawasaki City. A local train attempting to arrive at Kajigaya Station struck a stationary out-of-service train, causing several cars of the latter to derail. Investigators from the Japan Transport Safety Board arrived at the scene on the morning of October 6th to begin examining the cause of the accident.

Meanwhile, a Spanish tourist was attacked by a bear while visiting Shirakawa-go, the UNESCO World Heritage village in Gifu Prefecture known for its traditional thatched-roof houses, on October 5th. This incident adds to a growing number of bear encounters reported across Japan in recent weeks.

In political news, Sanae Takaichi was elected as the Liberal Democratic Party’s new president on October 4th. After defeating agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi in a runoff, she became the party’s first female leader. On stage, Takaichi declared, “I ask everybody to work like a horse,” signaling her call for dedicated effort from party members.
https://newsonjapan.com/article/147170.php

At Least 2 Dead After a Shooter Attacked a Mormon Church

During the course of the incident, a fire occurred, which we believe was deliberately set by the suspect.

We anticipate that additional victims may be discovered once the scene is secured.

The fire was extinguished just within the past hour by the Grand Blanc Township Fire Department.
https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/100000010426647/michigan-fire-church-shooting.html