Les Roberts, a disgraced Miami art dealer who was charged with fraud for selling fake Andy Warhol pieces, has apparently found a new business venture by opening a shop that sells Labubu collectibles. Roberts, whose Miami Fine Art Gallery was raided by the FBI in April, is now operating a store called Labubu Headquarters in Miami's Coconut Grove neighborhood, according to reporting by Naomi Feinstein of Miami New Times.

The new shop has been attracting significant attention from young customers, with both preteens and college students stopping in their tracks when they spotted a large Labubu figurine priced at $1,000 inside the store this past weekend. Labubus are popular collectible figurines featuring furry monster characters that come in various sizes and have become a global sensation. The collectibles even made an appearance at Art Basel in Switzerland this summer, highlighting their growing cultural significance.

At Roberts's shop, these plush collectibles start at an accessible price point of $35, making them available to a wide range of customers. However, Roberts's current legal situation raises important questions about his new business venture. His bond conditions specifically restrict him from selling art or working in the art industry following his charges for wire fraud, conspiracy, and money laundering related to forged Andy Warhol works.

This restriction leads to an intriguing question: could these plush collectibles actually be considered art? The debate gains credibility when considering that a giant Labubu sold for more than $170,000 at the first Labubu art auction in June, hosted by Yongle Auction in China. The auction event drew nearly 1,000 bidders, demonstrating serious market interest in these collectibles as potential art pieces.

The question of what constitutes art has long been debated in academic circles. Art critic Arthur Danto, who extensively explored this topic in his 1981 book "The Transfiguration of the Commonplace," concluded that various everyday objects including Brillo boxes, silence, Coca-Cola bottles, performances, and stillness could all be considered art. Following this logic, decades later, there's a reasonable argument that Labubus could also qualify as art.

Concerns about authenticity have also emerged around Roberts's new venture. Miami New Times staff invested considerable time consulting with experts to verify whether a Labubu purchased from Roberts's store was genuine or a counterfeit version, sometimes called "Lafufu." Despite their thorough research efforts, the results remained inconclusive, raising questions about the legitimacy of the products being sold.

Pop Mart, the primary official seller of Labubu collectibles, has distanced itself from Roberts's operation. A spokesperson for the Chinese retailer told Miami New Times that Roberts's shop has no association with their company. The spokesperson advised consumers to "purchase only through Pop Mart's official sales channels and approved partners" to ensure authenticity.

When contacted for comment regarding this new business venture and the questions it raises about his bond conditions, Roberts's attorney did not respond to The Art Newspaper's request. This silence leaves many questions unanswered about whether Roberts's pivot to selling collectibles might violate the terms of his legal restrictions, particularly given the growing recognition of collectibles like Labubus as legitimate art forms in some markets.