California Man Found Guilty of Selling Fake Charles Loloma Jewelry

By Rob Bates | February 12, 2025

On Jan. 30, a federal jury in New Mexico found Los Angeles resident Robert Haack guilty of wire fraud, mail fraud, and violating the Indian Arts and Crafts Act, for selling as much as $400,000 worth of counterfeit Charles Loloma jewelry on eBay, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The verdict followed a four-day trial and four hours of jury deliberations, it said.

Loloma, a Hopi jeweler who died in 1991, was “arguably the most influential Native American jeweler of the 20th century,” acclaimed for “his bold, innovative designs,” JCK wrote in 2006.

Authentic Loloma pieces sell for tens of thousands of dollars, according to the government’s release.

Federal agents said they purchased two counterfeit Loloma pieces from Haack off eBay in 2013 and 2014. A raid on Haack’s home found raw materials for jewelry-making, unfinished Loloma-style jewelry, engraving tools hidden in a boot, and shards of metal where Haack practiced Loloma’s signature.

At the trial, Loloma’s niece, Verma Nequatewa, a jeweler who worked with her famous uncle, testified that pieces purchased from Haack were fakes.

Haack was originally charged in 2018, but the death of a principal investigator delayed the case for the three years, according to The Arizona Republic. In 2021, Haack pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, but that plea was withdrawn.

Indian art dealer Bill Faust, who worked with the authorities on the case, told the Republic that agents tailed Haack to gem shows in Tucson, where he bought materials Loloma would have used. Faust added that Haack’s items were surprisingly well-made.

“He could have sold that stuff all on his own and done well,” he said. “He didn’t have to imitate Loloma.”

Haack’s attorney did not return a request for comment by press time.

Top: One of the fake Charles Loloma pieces that Robert Haack allegedly sold on eBay (photo courtesy of the U.S. Attorney’s Office)