A Florida man has been indicted on charges of wire fraud, mail fraud, and misrepresenting American Indian produced goods.
Federal authorities allege that Jose Farinango Muenala, 45, of Casselberry, Florida, falsely claimed to be a Native American artist and sold counterfeit jewelry at art shows across the United States for nearly a decade.
“Prosecuting these types of fraud cases is part of our important work to support Tribal Nations,” said U.S. Timothy M. O’Shea. “The indictment announced today is not only about enforcing the law, but also about protecting and preserving the cultural heritage of Native Americans.”
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“Jose Farinango’s false tribal affiliation cheated customers and impacted the economic and cultural livelihood of Native American artists,” said Edward Grace, Assistant Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement. “Our dedicated team of special agents works on behalf of the Department of the Interior and the Indian Arts and Crafts Board to protect Native American and Alaska Native artists. Safeguarding Native American culture, traditions, and the consumers who purchase authentic Native American art are a critical part of these investigations. We want to thank our partners at the U.S. Department of Justice and the IACB for their ongoing assistance.”
The indictment details Muenala’s scheme, which involved submitting applications to art shows with false claims of Native American heritage and sending fraudulent communications through email and mail. He is also accused of knowingly offering counterfeit jewelry for sale in Wisconsin.
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“The Indian Arts and Crafts Board administers and enforces the Indian Arts and Crafts Act, a truth-in-marketing law,” said Indian Arts and Crafts Board Director Meridith Stanton. “The Act is intended to rid the Indian arts and crafts marketplace of fakes to protect the economic livelihoods and cultural heritage of Indian artists, craftspeople, and their Tribes, as well as the buying public. Authentic Indian art and craftwork is an important tool for passing down cultural traditions, traditional knowledge, and artistic skills from one generation to the next. Those that market fake Indian art and craftwork, such as under Jose Farinango’s guise of from “the Pueblo Nation of New Mexico,” tear at the very fabric of Indian culture and livelihoods and prey upon unwitting consumers, and therefore must be held accountable.”
If convicted, Muenala could face up to 20 years in prison for wire and mail fraud, and an additional 5 years for misrepresenting Indian produced goods. He is scheduled to appear in court for an initial appearance in the Western District of Wisconsin on July 30, 2024.
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