| 2010.04.22 |
[Detroit Free Press] A federal
jury in Port Huron awarded $500,000 to Global Fine Arts Registry and its founder, Theresa Franks, for
trademark violations involving registry Web sites. . . . The Fine Arts Registry, which devotes part
of its Web site to exposing fraud and deception in the art world, said it began investigating Park
West after reading news accounts and receiving customer complaints. . . . Park West sued for defamation
in 2008, alleging that the registry engaged in a smear campaign by posting articles saying Park West had
sold overpriced, forged and fraudulent artwork to unsuspecting customers during auctions aboard cruise
ships. The registry countersued, charging [, a]mong other things, the registry said Park West had
created Web sites with names similar to the registry's to divert readers. The registry said those
Web sites made disparaging remarks about the registry. Full Story
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