Comments on: Arresting development: FBI charges Rudy K of counterfeiting fine wine

By: Foam vs froth: El Bulli wine cellar to be auctioned | Dr Vino's wine blog

Foam vs froth: El Bulli wine cellar to be auctioned | Dr Vino's wine blog — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 19:02:41 +0000

[...] The collection has many mature wines and it remains to be seen what the estimated 10,000 bottles will fetch at an upcoming Sotheby’s auction. But perhaps the big question for bidders as well as chef Ferran Adria and his partner Juli Soler is whether they will apply the same creativity in the sale as they did in the kitchen. Thirteen-year-old albarino may fetch one price, but what about doing the food-wine pairing for collectors and selling an essence of oyster and albarino microfoam served on the half shell? Or an orb of Corton-Charlemagne lobster? Or reformed into already-fermented grapes with “with their mad sphere-making gadgets and such“? With such an imprimatur, the wines would be harder to counterfeit. [...]

By: Rudy Kurniawan, aka “Dr. Conti” indicted on four counts | Dr Vino's wine blog

Thu, 10 May 2012 14:28:57 +0000

[...] indictment largely covers the same ground as the documents filed when Kurniawan was apprehended in his home in L.A. in March. It fails to name the auction house where Kurniawan was the consignor of wines in 2008 where [...]

By: Achmed

Achmed — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 04:29:57 +0000

As a wine professional I do not like to see this kind of wine fraud, it does not do justice to an otherwise reputable business. However, where is the FBI in regards to Obama’s fraudulent birth certificates, hidden college records etc., & a plethora of black holes in his dark & demonic past. Think about it; some wine collectors got screwed purchasing some of Rudi’s bogus bottles. The rest of us honest citizens have to live with an illegal immigrant, Muslim, Communist pretend to be Prez that make Rudi’s labels look authentic!

By: Meg

Meg — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 18:06:24 +0000

I’m going to have to check that show out, it does sound interesting.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 17:46:35 +0000

“There is already a TV show dealing with this very subject: White Collar. Last season (or maybe the first season) they had our hero make a counterfeit bottle of Bordeaux supposedly owned by Thomas Jefferson!”

It’s a really interesting show, it’s catchy and show’s you a side of the crime division that is not widely publicized. That being said, it’s interesting to hear about a real case that is currently taking place.

By: More on Rudy K’s arrest on counterfeiting charges | Dr Vino's wine blog

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 14:37:50 +0000

[...] story of Rudy Kurniawan’s arrest on charges of selling counterfeit wine has been all over the news since the FBI arrested him on [...]

By: Adam

Adam — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 06:41:21 +0000

hahaha. oh no whats next? going through some poor old ladies bag and finding a 30yr old bottle of wine and arresting her?

By: Meg

Meg — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 04:52:53 +0000

This is crazy! I’m always amazed at what people will try and get away with!

By: Dr. Vino

Dr. Vino — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 13:57:42 +0000

Mike at winediarist has been following this story for a while and has posted a letter from federal prosecutors with evidence found in Rudy's home. A pretty amazing list of items. He also posts pictures of scads of labels, stamps, and capsules.

By: Dr. Vino

Dr. Vino — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 13:54:47 +0000

Michael – Yes, such bottles would fraudulent for sure but counterfeits of the estate.

Jean-Luc – indeed, quite a read!

Robin – Ha, glad you had fun with it. I like your picks (though not Brittany–ack) and embellishments. A sure-fire hit!

By: RobinC

RobinC — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 01:19:30 +0000

Odd that this fellow was tripped up on a date. But I understand that it’s happened before. Other casting options for the docudrama: Fraudulent seller: Ashton Kruchner, Auctioneer: Gary Oldman, Thomas Jefferson: ( I, too, like Nick Nolte), Hired Detective: Jean Dujardin (the Artist), Billionaire: George Clooney, Love Interest: Brittany Spears (the billionaire’s daughter, and girlfriend of Ashton, but is secretly working undercover for the Detective whom she really loves)

By: Jean-Luc

Jean-Luc — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 22:50:22 +0000

The pdf of the complaint is fascinating reading. This guy dug himself deeper and deeper as time went on.

By: Michael

Michael — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 20:17:01 +0000

Sort of an interesting question as to whether you can counterfeit something that never existed in the first place. I mean, at the very least it is fraud — the wine was not from 1929 and it was not bottled by Ponsot — so it’s not like it’s okay, but still.

By: Dr. Vino

Dr. Vino — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 18:22:16 +0000

Goddess – I didn’t know that so thanks for the heads up. I’m still waiting for this story to make the silver screen, though!

Elias – Yes, that was a good profile–thanks for the link. It will be interesting indeed to see what is real and what is fake in this story when the dust settles.

To all: winediarist has posted a pdf of the complaint against Rudy, aka “Dr. Conti.” Uncork something fun, pour a glass, and take a look–some pretty interesting reading.

By: Elias Rangel

Elias Rangel — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 16:41:04 +0000

With a quick Google search I foun this 2006 LATimes article,

http://articles.latimes.com/2006/dec/01/entertainment/et-rudy1

I wonder if the story about his family is true, or it’s just part of the scam.