Sotheby's chief faces sentence

The scam defrauded art sellers out of millions

By Stephen Evans BBC North America business correspondent

The main owner of Sotheby's - the world-famous auctioneers - is due to find out later on Monday if he is to go to jail for rigging the fees charged to clients.

The defence says jailing Mr Taubman is a death sentence

Alfred Taubman, aged 78, has already been found guilty.

The Justice Department in the United States is to call for him to be put behind bars when he appears in court in New York.

The defence says that jailing Mr Taubman, who has a string of ailments, would be a death sentence.

The prosecution likens the crime to "common thievery" that should be punished accordingly.

Plea

Sotheby's and Christie's fixed the fees they charged after Mr Taubman met his opposite number in Christie's, Sir Anthony Tennant.

The thought that this extraordinary human being is now a defeated, humiliated shadow of himself breaks my heart

Mrs Taubman

Sir Anthony declined to leave Britain to stand trial while Mr Taubman, a self-made billionaire, was found guilty of rigging the art market, costing customers an extra $43 million.

Mr Taubman's lawyers have pulled out all the stops, producing testimonial letters from former President Ford, Queen Noor of Jordan and Henry Kissinger.

"The thought that this extraordinary human being is now a defeated, humiliated shadow of himself breaks my heart," Mrs Taubman has written to the court.