A Broughty Ferry art dealer is to stand trial accused of selling bogus paintings and forging the signature of a well-known artist.
Through a fraudulent scheme, Sandro Paladini allegedly obtained more than £2,000 from Eduardo Alessandro Studios on Gray Street between August 2018 and September 2019.
The 58-year-old of Brook Street, Broughty Ferry, denies the allegations against him.
It is alleged Paladini entered an agreement with Ron Lawson to sell eight original paintings, along with 195 limited editions of each original painting.
A number of the paintings were signed by Mr Lawson, with court papers alleging Paladini displayed and offered a number of limited editions and artist proofs.
Prosecutors say Paladini claimed they had been signed by Mr Lawson.
However, it is alleged Mr Lawson never signed any artist proofs and the signatures were forged.
Trial fixed for July
A woman was allegedly induced to pay Paladini £199 in September 2018 for a framed print with a purportedly signed artist proof from Mr Lawson.
In March 2019, Paladini allegedly sold three forged artist proofs to a man for £597.
Paladini is accused of offering the same man a print of a painting between April and September 2019, causing him to pay a £50 deposit for a print that was not genuine.
Court papers further allege Paladini offered and sold two signed prints from Mr Lawson to another woman for £700 in April 2019.
It is alleged they were not authentic prints.
A third woman is said to have bought a print with a forged signature for £199 in June 2019 while a second man allegedly purchased two artist proofs with forged signatures for £398 in the same month.
Paladini was not present when the case called at Dundee Sheriff Court.
A trial was fixed for July, with a pre-trial hearing scheduled for June.
