Mazhari's art theft trial begins. Crown says artist had asked father of former Olympian to store paintings

Irwin Block

Myriam Bedard's father first signalled the alarm that her boyfriend, Nima Mazhari, was in possession of stolen paintings, a Crown prosecutor alleged yesterday at Mazhari's trial.

In January 2004, Pierre Bedard sent an anonymous letter and photos of paintings to Kathe Roth, daughter of the late artist Ghitta Caiserman-Roth, to denounce Mazhari for alleged theft and illegal possession of the works, prosecutor Mario Dufresne told Superior Court Justice Wilbrod-Claude Decarie and the jury.

Mazhari, an artist, is charged with theft and possession of stolen property - 20 paintings by Caiserman-Roth.

Roth did not take action until the Montreal police fraud squad received photos in April 2004 of four allegedly stolen paintings and opened an investigation, Det.-Sgt. Alain Lacoursiere testified.

A Bedard family friend provided the photos to police, the court was told.

When questioned by police that month, Mazhari said he had seen the paintings but "never had them in his possession," Lacoursiere said.

Sitting in the prisoner's dock, Mazhari listened intently - as did his girlfriend Bedard, a former Olympic biathlon gold medallist, who sat in the audience and took notes.

Mazhari shared a studio with Caiserman-Roth for a while on St. Laurent Blvd. south of Mount Royal Ave.

Mazhari also lived in Caiserman-Roth's residence on Jeanne Mance St. but in August 2001, her daughter, Kathe Roth, noticed that "it wasn't working out."

Roth and a lawyer got Mazhari to move out and they changed the locks, Dufresne said. In December, the lawyer assisted in clearing out the studio.

Art dealer Jean-Claude Bergeron of Ottawa is to testify he saw the contentious paintings at the studio but they disappeared after Dec. 26, Dufresne said.

"Where did they go ?" he asked.

Guy Coupal, who lived with Myriam Bedard in a Nuns' Island condominium, will testify he saw some of the paintings in question arrive at the condo. Some were displayed on the walls; others were stored away.

In March 2002, Bedard moved out and took the paintings with her, Dufresne said.

Huguette Nicole, who lives in Quebec City with Bedard's father, is to testify that on March 29 the couple travelled to Montreal to help Myriam move into a new home in Brossard, the Crown said.

That day, Mazhari asked if Pierre Bedard and Nicole could store more paintings with them in Quebec City.

Myriam Bedard and Mazhari later moved to Quebec City, where they opened a cafe.

But in reaction to Mazhari's behaviour - the Crown was not specific - Pierre Bedard suspected the paintings were stolen.

Because he spoke only French, Bedard got his son to call Caiserman-Roth. Her health was beginning to deteriorate and nothing came of the call, Dufresne said.

The senior Bedard then gave the paintings back to Mazhari and Myriam Bedard, the court was told.

Once Montreal police started their investigation, officers met Mazhari twice and he told them he no longer had the paintings, Dufresne said.

Lacoursiere testified he met Myriam Bedard and Mazhari in June 2004 when he recognized photos of four paintings as the work of Caiserman-Roth. Mazhari insisted one painting, titled Sunflowers, was his work, while Caiserman-Roth had added black elements to it.

The trial is to continue today.

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