THE INDIAN ARTS AND CRAFTS ACT IS DESIGNED TO INSURE THAT ANYTHING SOLD AS BEING MADE BY NATIVE AMERICANS, MUST BE AUTHENTIC. A JEWELRY STORE OWNER IN ALBUQUERQUE’S OLD TOWN NOW KNOWS WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN THAT LAW ISN’T FOLLOWED.
FIFTY-FOUR YEAR OLD NAEL ALI OF ALBUQUERQUE WAS SENTENCED TO SIX MONTHS IN PRISON ON TUESDAY FOR SELLING COUNTERFEIT NATIVE AMERICAN JEWELRY AS BEING MADE BY NATIVE AMERICAN ARTISTS. IN FACT, HE WAS SELLING JEWELRY MADE IN THE PHILIPPINES .
HE IS THE OWNER OF GALLERY 8 AND GALLERIA AZUL.
