ORLANDO, Fla. — A former executive director of a Florida museum that was raided last year by the FBI over an exhibit of what turned out to be forged Jean-Michel Basquiat paintings filed counterclaims Tuesday against the museum, claiming wrongful termination and defamation. The countersuit comes months after the institution sued him and others over the scandal.
Former CEO Aaron De Groft said in court papers in Orlando, Florida, that the board chairwoman and outside lawyers for the Orlando Museum of Art had signed off on the exhibit, even after the FBI had subpoenaed the museum's records over the exhibit in July 2021.
De Groft said he was being made a scapegoat and that the museum’s lawsuit against him was a public relations stunt to save face and make him “the fall guy.” De Groft was fired in June 2022 after the FBI raid.
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After reviewing documents and interviewing De Groft and other staff members, the outside lawyers told the executive director and chairwoman that there was no reason to pull the plug on the exhibit, as did FBI investigators, De Groft said in court papers filed in state court.
“These two statements fortified Defendant’s belief that the 25 paintings were authentic Basquiats,” said the former museum CEO.
De Groft is seeking more than $50,000 for wrongful termination, defamation and breach of contract.
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