AN ART FRAUD SCHEME IN DALLAS? The FBI thinks so. And seeing as the couple involved — Eugenio D. Leo and his wife Jody L. Meyer, formerly of Allen — has pleaded guilty to the charge, we’ll take that as a ‘yes.’ Say the Feds: In 2004, “Leo worked as a commodities broker at Compass Financial, a commodities brokerage firm located in Richardson, Texas. He devised a mail and wire fraud scheme that involved inducing the victims, K.P. and L.P., to invest their money by making short-term loans to museums in Europe. These loans would be secured by pieces of artwork worth significantly more than the loan value.”  The amount involved? $3 mill. (hat tip, Glasstire)

WILL IT BE A BLOCKBUSTER IN FT. WORTH AS WELL? London’s National Portrait Gallery has extended its major retrospective of the late painter, Lucian Freud. In less than a month, the show has clocked in more than 50,000 visitors, making it one of the NPG’s most popular exhibitions. Some 90 paintings and works on paper by Freud are coming to the Modern in Fort Worth July 1-Oct. 28.

THE DALLAS OPERA GIVES AWAY MONEY? To the winners of its vocal competition, yes — some $20 grand. The 24th Annual Dallas Opera Guild Vocal Competition awarded top prize ($8,000) to soprano Heather Hawk of Weatherford, second prize and People’s Choice Award to soprano Amanda Woodbury, a graduate of Frisco High School. Ten singers were given prizes Sunday night at the Winspear Opera House.

WILL THIS BE ON THE TEST? The Dallas Museum of Art has announced three new positions, with two of the new titles/responsibilities awarded to current employees. Olivier Meslay, who had been interim director, is now associate director of curatorial affairs. Tamara Wootton-Bonner, who had been chair of collections and exhibitions, will now be associate director of same. And the museum is looking for an associate director of external affairs. All this comes on the heels of its new hire, Robert Stein, as head of its “financial, education, conservation, technological, web and operational activities.”