Art dealer ‘forged emails from Microsoft founder Allen’

THREE siblings embroiled in a legal dispute with an art dealer over a 1932 Picasso painting have launched a bid to send her to prison for allegedly forging emails from a Microsoft co-founder.

Sean, Lauren and David Carpenter claim Astrid- Caroline Cole falsified emails from billionaire businessman Paul Allen, in which he allegedly offered to buy the Spanish artist’s work Le Sauvetage ( The Rescue) from them for $10 million (£7.6 million).

At a High Court hearing yesterday, they asked Mr Justice Trower to grant permission to bring proceedings for contempt of court against Ms Cole, who denies the allegation against her. If ultimately found in contempt of court, Ms Cole could be imprisoned for up to two years or be given an unlimited fine.

German-born Ms Cole is currently suing the Carpenter siblings for breach of contract over the surrealist painting.

Ms Cole, who trades as ACC Art, claims that she entered into an oral contract with the siblings in 2017 in which it was agreed that if she could get Le Sauvetage exhibited at the Tate Modern gallery, she would be granted an exclusive right to sell the work for a 12-month period, and receive 10 per cent commission on the sale price.

The Carpenters deny there was such a contract.

Lawyers for Ms Cole say part of her case is that emails from March 2018 show an offer from Mr Allen, who cofounded Microsoft with childhood friend Bill Gates and died in October 2018, to buy the work for $10 million.

In written s ubmissions, Yash Bheeroo, barrister for the Carpenter siblings, said the “essence” of the allegation is that “she has falsified or caused to be falsified a purported email from Mr Allen”.

Andrew Lomas, barrister for Ms Cole, said she “denies there has been any forgery or falsification”, that expert reports show that the emails are “genuine and authentic”.

Mr Justice Trower will give his ruling at a later date.