KOCHI: This is not another character from the James Bond franchise. The Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) real-life case study on ‘Mr A’, who is unmistakably conman Monson Mavunkal, arrested for dealing in fake antiques in October 2021, features in a recent report by the Paris-based organisation.
The ‘Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing in the Art and Antiquities Market’ report, published last month includes two more cases from India -- money laundering by a former Indian bank managing director and theft of antique idols from ancient temples.
The global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog’s case study on Mr A -- titled ‘Purchasing Fake Art and Antiquities with Proceeds of Fraud’ -- is included in Box 40, as a conclusion to the report. The FATF report says the person ran an ‘artifacts museum’ in Kaloor, Kochi, and threw expensive parties where invitees included celebrities and bureaucrats. It refers to Mr A as, “An imposter, who portrayed himself as a motivational speaker, doctor, cosmetologist, art promoter, antique collector, YouTuber, etc, and cheated people for about a decade by using a mixture of deceit and cultivated influence.”
The report said: “To influence people, he threw lavish parties where invitees included celebrities and bureaucrats. He even set up an ‘artifacts’ museum in Kaloor, Kochi and owned a fleet of high-end cars. He claimed to have possessed many antique pieces like Mysore emperor Tipu Sultan’s throne, silver coins Judas received for betraying Jesus Christ, Solomon-era gold coins and rare books on Maratha warrior Shivaji and Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.
He also claimed that he is a German-trained cosmetologist and treated many VIPs. Through his cultivated influence, he was able to sell a walking case as the staff of Moses, small earthen pots made in provincial Cherthala in Kerala as Lord Krishna’s favourite ‘dahi handi’ and paintings by someone in Kochi as Pablo Picasso’s art, among other things,” the report read. The report also monitors action taken by respective countries. The Paris-based organisation founded in 1989 is associated with over 200 countries, including India. The FATF report is the first of its kind to focus on money laundering and terrorist financing linked to art, antiquities and other cultural objects, says the report.
It stated that the investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) revealed that Mr A, by cheating businessmen and common people, collected several crores of rupees. “He used the money to support his lavish lifestyle and purchased fake antiques and artifacts using the bank accounts of his staff, and purchased properties, gold ornaments, etc, in the name of his staff and associates,” concluded the case study.
Monson, who is currently behind bars, has 16 cases registered against him, including two incidents of rape. Though he managed to receive bail in cheating cases, he is being detained as the trial in a rape case against him is continuing at an additional sessions court in Kochi. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) registered a money laundering case against Monson in November 2021.
Criminal on demand