The LA Times writes..

The FBI is investigating allegations that self-styled “Painter of Light” Thomas Kinkade and some of his top executives fraudulently induced investors to open galleries and then ruined them financially, former dealers contacted by federal agents said.

[…]

“It was a program of lies and deception, predicated on Christian values that weren’t there,” said Joseph Ejbeh, the Michigan attorney who tried the arbitration case.

via Boing Boing

addednum:
My wife points out what the The Mercury News wrote about this affair:

Critics - including highbrow art aficionados, satirical bloggers and starving artists annoyed by Kinkade’s marketing success - snicker at his work.

And then asks…

My question is, which category are you in, honey? All three I suspect…. :-)

To which I reply, yes, except for the starving part of course! permanent link to this post