According to a report in the February issue of Maine Antique Digest, Chrisman had entered into a contract to bind the “replica” pages supplied by his partner. They were to be bound in pigskin with brass clasps, employing traditional sewing and binding techniques of the 15th century, and marketed at $12,500 a set when the facsimile edition was completed.
A handful of these two-volume replicas were produced, but though Chrisman continued to forward invoices and receive payments of up to $5000 for each completed Bible, in addition to his material costs, he had actually produced only five of the 70 planned sets.
Chrisman “…repeatedly lied to cover up his fraud”, said US attorney John Horn.
