A Manhattan art adviser who has worked with the actor Leonardo DiCaprio and other stars pleaded guilty Thursday to wire fraud.

The Justice Department says that between 2018 and 2023, Schiff defrauded at least 12 clients, an artist, the estate of another artist and a gallery out of at least $6.5m. By May 2023, Schiff’s debts had spun out of control, and she confessed her actions to several clients.

Lisa Schiff, a prominent art adviser who was accused of swindling her clients out of millions of dollars, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in a New York court on Thursday. Schiff was the subject of two lawsuits last year in which collectors accused her of defrauding them.

A leading art adviser whose clients have included Leonardo DiCaprio, and who was accused by the government of bilking her clients of millions, pleaded guilty on Thursday in federal court in Manhattan to one count of wire fraud, for stealing $6.5 million from people who trusted her to buy art for them.

Art advisor Lisa Schiff, who advised celebrities and ultra-wealthy clients, pleaded guilty this morning in federal court in Manhattan to one count of wire fraud in front of Judge Paul Oetken.

A high-profile New York art adviser faces years in prison after admitting she defrauded wealthy clients of more than $6 million to live a lavish lifestyle and pay off debts.