Framed
Framed
Steph & Joel
50. How an A-List Art Advisor Ran a Ponzi Scheme | The Lisa Schiff Case
49 minutes Posted Sep 23, 2025 at 7:00 pm.
0:00
49:52
Download MP3
Show notes

An A-list art adviser. A velvet-rope world built on trust. And one word that made $1.8M vanish: “gone.”

This week we unpack the rise and fall of Lisa Schiff—from scholarly beginnings and blue-chip access (think Paris galleries, Tribeca offices and celebrity clients) to the playbook prosecutors say she ran for years: diverting client funds, stalling payouts, and papering over holes until the scheme collapsed. We break down how art advising should work, what a Ponzi scheme actually is, the Hong Kong sale that triggered the unraveling, and Schiff’s guilty plea, 30-month sentence, and multimillion-dollar restitution. Expect art-world mechanics, gossip-level receipts, and practical takeaways on provenance, payments, and protecting yourself in private sales.


Steph Recommends: Trashy true-crime docs on Disney+/Binge (e.g., Mean Girl Murders) as easy background watches. 

Joel Recommends: Utopia (Aussie workplace comedy) as a bingeable, anxiety-tinged office satire. 

Come follow us on all the apps

@framedthepod

@joeldavid_b

@cheersthanxalot


Want to watch the episode? Come on over to YouTube to see the chaos: https://www.youtube.com/@Framedthepodcast


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.