Digital Art Crimes
(and Misdemeanors)

A reported book on fraud, theft, and deception in digital art today.

Share Your Story
The Problem

Technology promised transparency, access, and new models of ownership. It also exposed new forms of theft, fraud, and confusion.

Wallets are hacked. Works are copied and resold. Artists lose control of their output. Collectors discover they may not own what they thought they did.

These incidents are often treated as isolated cases. They are not.

About

Digital Art Crimes (and Misdemeanors) investigates how ownership becomes opaque when art moves into digital systems.

Drawing from firsthand accounts, interviews, and documented cases, the book examines how artists, collectors, and platforms navigate fraud, theft, and misuse in a rapidly evolving market.

Scope

The book focuses on real cases across two intersecting areas:

Theft, Fraud, and Market Failures

  • Wallet breaches and stolen digital assets
  • Fake or duplicated NFT collections
  • Platform collapses and unpaid artists
  • Disputed ownership and unauthorized sales

AI, Authorship, and Control

  • Artwork used in AI training without consent
  • Style replication and attribution conflicts
  • Ownership ambiguity in AI-generated works
  • Misuse of artist identity and output
Why Now

There is no comprehensive account of these incidents.

Stories circulate across social media, private conversations, and fragmented reports, but they are rarely documented, verified, or analyzed together.

This book aims to create a structured record of these cases and examine what they reveal about the future of art, ownership, and cultural value.

Contribute

Share Your Story

This project is currently collecting firsthand accounts from artists, collectors, and industry participants.

If you have experienced theft, fraud, misuse, or a dispute related to digital art, you are invited to contribute. Submissions may inform reporting, research, and potential inclusion in the book.

Your Information
The Incident

List all platforms, marketplaces, or tools connected to the incident.

This can be as brief or as detailed as you'd like. We may follow up for additional detail.

Any supporting evidence strengthens the story. We verify all submissions independently.

Permissions & Preferences

Submissions are confidential. No story, name, or identifying detail will be published without explicit permission. Contributors may remain anonymous.

Thank You

We got it. Your story matters, and it's in good hands. If you opted in for follow-up, we'll be in touch. You can also reach us anytime at elena@newartacademy.com.

Author

Elena Zavelev

Elena Zavelev is a curator and educator working at the intersection of art and technology. She has led digital art initiatives across international fairs, Web3 platforms, and academic institutions, focusing on how artists, collectors, and organizations navigate a rapidly evolving digital market.