Antiques Roadshow experts' fraud controversy explained

Antiques Roadshow fans may be surprised to know that the show faced some controversy in the early 2000s after two antiques experts who appeared on the US version were indicted on federal mail and wire fraud charges after their appearance on the programme.

Russ Pritchard III and George Juno had been accused of staging sham appraisals on the show to enhance their reputations as experts in Civil War-era weapons and military artifacts and allegedly made a profit on the reputation they developed.

The pair were accused of defrauding the descendants of Civil War veterans out of hundreds of thousands of dollars by acquiring artifacts at a fraction of their worth, according to ABC News.

While Pritchard faced up to 60 years in prison and $2.75 million in fines if convicted, Juno faced a 45-year sentence and fines of $2.25 million.

"Mr. Pritchard maintains his innocence of these charges and we will vigorously defend them," Pritchard's attorney, Kirk Karaszkiewicz, told The Associated Press at the time.

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A deeper dive into the alleged claims

Among those allegedly defrauded by the two men were the descendants of General George Pickett and a Union officer named Maj. Samuel Wilson.

According to the indictment, Pickett's descendants were convinced to part with family memorabilia for $88,000, as Pritchard claimed to be representing the Harrisburg National Civil War Museum, even though he had no affiliation with the museum.

In 1999, Pickett's great-great grandson, George E. Pickett V, won a civil suit he filed against Pritchard and was awarded $800,000 in damages.

The pair allegedly convinced Wilson's family to sell them one of his swords, a family heirloom that had been handed down generations, and promised the artefact would be put on display at the Harrisburg museum.

The outcome

According to reports at the time, Pritchard received a one-year sentence and was ordered to pay $830,000. It's not clear if Juno was given a sentence.

Antiques Roadshow - all to know

For those unfamiliar with the show, which began airing in the US in 1997, it sees specialists from leading auction houses across the country offer free appraisals of antiques and collectables, from family heirlooms to car boot sale finds.

The series began airing in the UK on the BBC in 1979 and is currently hosted by Fiona Bruce.