Han Yezhen continued her tale, her face full of frustration.
"Leo said that Louis had been serving in the army when the war broke out and didn't know what happened back home. After World War II, Louis returned to find that his family had perished and his home had been ransacked by the Germans. All the paintings in the gallery were seized."
"The Allied forces took control of the stolen artworks and set up a committee to return them to their rightful owners, as long as proper documentation was provided. Louis managed to retrieve the gallery's paintings due to the thorough records kept."
"My friend now possesses 227 paintings, including works by Monet and Picasso. Despite this, his financial situation is dire. Artworks are undervalued in post-war France, and he is struggling to make a living. He plans to sell these paintings to immigrate to the United States and start a new life."
Han Yezhen recalled the conversation she had with Leo and Irina.
"The middle-aged man came to us, claiming that the gallery's paintings were worth far more in the U.S. than in France. He told us that he could sell them for $2 million here, compared to the $1.06 million offered by a potential buyer in France."
"Leo requested that we advance $100,000 to help Louis secure a bank loan to unfreeze the paintings. We agreed, and I wrote a cash check for the amount. Leo was supposed to take Musk and John to France to finalize the deal."
Han Yezhen's face fell as she recounted the scam.
"Leo disappeared with the check, and Musk discovered that he had been given a fake check in exchange for the real one."
Hardy listened attentively, his expression darkening. He knew that asset liquidation scams were common, especially when large sums of money were involved.
Musk, looking distressed, added, "The scam was meticulously planned. Leo managed to switch the check right under our noses at the airport, leaving us with a fake one."
Hardy nodded, taking in the information. "I understand. I'll handle this. You all can return to your duties."
The executives and appraisers quickly exited the office, leaving Hardy, Han Yezhen, and Irina behind.
Seeing Han Yezhen's distress, Hardy approached her, wiping away her tears. He comforted her, holding her gently. "It's okay. It's just a small setback. I'll take care of it and see if we can recover the money."
Han Yezhen, still tearful, offered to cover the loss herself. "I'll make up for the $100,000 if needed."
Hardy shook his head. "Don't worry about it. I'll handle it, and if we can't recover the money, I won't let you bear the cost alone."
Irina, observing from the side, saw an opportunity. She approached Hardy with a sorrowful expression, attempting to draw sympathy. "Boss, I'm also upset about the loss. I didn't foresee that Leo was a fraud."
Irina tried to embrace Hardy, but he gently blocked her attempt, realizing it was an act. She pulled back, looking slightly embarrassed.
Hardy called Lanster at HD Security. "Lanster, we've been defrauded. I need you and your team from the strategy research office and intelligence department to track down this con artist. Find out everything you can about him."
"I'll get on it right away," Lanster replied.
Next, Hardy called Bill, instructing him to investigate Leo's activities in Los Angeles.
With his orders given, Hardy set the city in motion to locate the elusive fraudster.