Jury finds Ont. man guilty in Norval Morrisseau art fraud case

A man who represented himself at trial after being accused of supplying hundreds of purported works by Indigenous artist Norval Morrisseau has been found guilty on all four counts of fraud.

All 12 jurors unanimously agreed the Crown had proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Jeff Cowan, 49, was guilty of uttering forged documents and defrauding the public, along with two customers, of property valued at more than $5,000.

“I would argue that the very size of the fraud estimated at $100 million by law enforcement is itself evidence of just how important and beloved Norval Morrisseau’s art is for Canadians,” said Morrisseau historian John Zemanovich of Art Experts Canada.

Morrisseau, widely considered the grandfather of contemporary Indigenous art in Canada, has been called the “Picasso of the North.” Since his death in 2007, the value of his work has skyrocketed.

Cowan was accused of sourcing alleged Morrisseau paintings that police said flooded the art market. He maintained there was no way to know the works were not authentic, claiming Morrisseau, who struggled with alcohol and substance abuse, did not have a consistent set of rules or standards for signing his paintings.

Cowan said establishing provenance — documentation tracing a work from its owner back to the artist — is difficult with Morrisseau because of his signature variations. He also claimed police took his records during a search of his property and that those records are now missing. Cowan argued many of his works came from his uncle, Dr. Howard Alexander, though witnesses told the court there was no evidence to support that claim.

The Crown argued Cowan, along with Jim White and David Paul Bremner, was part of an art fraud ring that sourced, marketed, authenticated, appraised and sold works they knew, or ought to have known, were not genuine Morrisseau paintings.

The investigation by the OPP and Thunder Bay Police led to guilty pleas this summer from White, Bremner and two other men in northern Ontario. White and Bremner were sentenced to house arrest.

Cowan has not ruled out appealing the verdict.

Police provided a statement to CTV News after the conviction.

“We recognize the profound impact that these frauds have had on the Indigenous and art communities, as well as on Norval Morrisseau’s legacy,” said Det. Insp. Kevin Veillieux. “We are proud of the work led by the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch, with support from Thunder Bay Police Service. The team conducted a thorough and professional investigation which focused on identifying and holding responsible those individuals who unlawfully forged Norval Morrisseau’s work and profited from these criminal acts.”

Zemanovich said he believes Morrisseau’s legacy is “secure” and will endure despite the widespread fraud.

“As the market clears and becomes more confident and sees the results of all the work done by numerous people across this country, we will move forward and Norval Morrisseau will reach the status that he deserves,” he said.

Cowan is scheduled to return to court in late December to set a date for his sentencing hearing.