BOSTON — Brian Walshe has been on house arrest after pleading guilty in 2018 for selling two fake Andy Warhol paintings for $80,000.
During a federal court hearing last June, Brian’s wife, Ana Walshe, wrote a letter to the judge to show support for her husband ahead of his sentencing while he had been on home confinement.
[ Police search North Shore dumpster station in connection with missing Cohasset mother Ana Walshe ]
In her letter to the federal judge in June 2022, Ana wrote:
“During these eight months, our family was able to be together during many of the milestones: our youngest son turned one, our middle son started to speak and our eldest son who had just started kindergarten when we saw you last is now only a few weeks away from completing the year and preparing for first grade. He also lost his first tooth.”
Ana went on to say Brian was a big help after her mother suffered a brain aneurysm in December 2021.
“Not only did he save her life, but he also brought her and the entire family comfort and joy during the course of her illness,” Ana wrote in her letter.
While helping his mother-in-law, Ana also said Brian continued “to take care of his ailing elderly mother and be there for his sons day in and day out.”
“Whether it was walking for World (Peace) Day in Dorchester, or stopping by the Pine Street Inn in Boston to drop off food and sanitary supplies, Brian has been teaching our young boys from early age how important it is to share the joy and be in contribution with time and resources,” Ana wrote.
The court documents reveal Brian is the primary caretaker of their three boys, ages six, four, and two, while Ana spends a lot of time working for a real estate firm in DC.
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“Brian has been working consistently on breaking the past bad habits of his family and we are all looking forward to the new chapter of his life,” Ana wrote to the federal judge.
Ana Walshe has now been missing for more than a week, and police believe her husband could be responsible after he was charged Monday with misleading police in the case of Ana’s disappearance. He was ordered held on $500,000 bail.
[ Prosecutor: Bloody knife found in Ana Walshe’s home, husband bought cleaning supplies at Home Depot ]
During the court hearing, Assistant District Attorney Lynn Beland told the judge that a blood-covered knife and other bloody spots were found in Ana’s home following a search over the weekend.
Surveillance video from inside a Home Depot in Rockland also showed Brian buying a tarp, mops, tape, and other cleaning supplies, Beland added.
According to Cohasset Police Chief William Quigley, a family member last saw her in her Cohasset home between 4:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. on New Year’s Day. There is no indication she ever arrived at the airport and Walshe’s cellphone, credit and debit cards have been inactive since her disappearance on Jan. 1.
Brian and Ana’s employer reported her missing three days later on Wednesday, Jan. 4.
Troopers and Cohasset police officers could be seen filing in and out of the Walshe’s home on Sunday when a search warrant was executed. Three children were also spotted being shuttered into cars that then drove away from the house. Ana and Brian Walshe have three children together.
According to a law enforcement source, the couple’s three boys are now in state custody.
A spokesperson for the Cohasset Police department told Boston 25 News on Saturday that detectives from the town’s police department and Massachusetts State Police arrived in Washington D.C. Saturday before returning Sunday.
Bojana Bogosav, a news editor in Ana’s homeland of Serbia, told Boston 25 that concern has been growing among family and friends.
“This is a big story here because a woman from Serbia goes to America, living the American dream, and after that, she disappears, she has a husband, but the husband is very mysterious because he was arrested,” Bogosav said.
Brian previously pleaded guilty in federal court two years ago after prosecutors say he took two Andy Warhol paintings from a friend in South Korea, put the authentic art for sale on eBay, then delivered fake paintings to a buyer for $80,000. He is on house arrest pending the outcome of that case.
Brian’s recent arrest in his wife’s disappearance is a violation of the federal case and if he posts bail federal authorities can grab him before he gets out.
Sources tell Boston 25 Investigative Reporter Ted Daniel that Brian Walshe lived an affluent lifestyle. He used to host dinners for groups in Boston that cost $20,000 and more. According to sources, Walshe claimed to have made his money creating a software program in college.
Brian is due back in court at a later date.
An investigation by Cohasset and Massachusetts State Police into the disappearance of Ana remains open and ongoing.
[ Missing Cohasset mother: Timeline of events related to disappearance of Ana Walshe ]
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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