Sculptor Orlinski faces Paris probe over alleged money laundering
By Zak Jackson, MonacoViews Editorial
French artist Richard Orlinski, whose sculptures line the Riviera and Monaco, is under investigation by Paris prosecutors for suspected money laundering and misuse of corporate assets.
Richard Orlinski's brightly coloured animal sculptures have become familiar fixtures along the Riviera and in Monaco, from gallery windows to private collections. The French artist is now under a preliminary investigation opened by the Paris prosecutor's office at the start of 2026, examining suspected organised money laundering and misuse of corporate assets.
The case has been handed to specialist financial investigators, though no charges have been filed and Orlinski has not commented publicly on the inquiry. Details of the specific transactions or business dealings under scrutiny have not been disclosed.
For Monaco's art market, where Orlinski's work has found a steady following among collectors and galleries, the investigation adds a note of uncertainty to one of the Riviera's more commercially visible contemporary artists. The outcome of the preliminary inquiry will determine whether the case progresses to a formal judicial investigation.