Andrew John Crispo (April 21, 1945 – February 8, 2024) was an American art dealer and gallery owner based in New York. He later became involved in a number of widely reported legal cases.

Andrew John Crispo was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and spent much of his childhood in orphanages and foster homes. Long-form profiles later described his upbringing as unsettled and marked by frequent displacement, with little evidence of sustained parental support. Acquaintances quoted in later reporting suggested that these early circumstances contributed to his pronounced desire for independence, financial security, and social advancement.

Little is documented about Crispo’s formal education. Contemporary accounts generally describe him as largely self-taught, relying on observation, mimicry, and personal relationships rather than structured academic training. By his teenage years, he was living with minimal supervision in Philadelphia and navigating adult social environments at an unusually young age, developing a reputation for social adaptability and resourcefulness.

Several later sources report that during this period Crispo came into contact with Henry McIlhenny, a prominent Philadelphia art patron, philanthropist, and longtime chairman of the board of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. McIlhenny has been described as an early mentor figure who exposed Crispo to modern art and to the social world of collectors and cultural institutions, and who encouraged his ambition to enter the art trade. While accounts vary regarding the depth and duration of the relationship, McIlhenny is consistently cited as one of the earliest influential figures in Crispo’s formative years.

Another early influence identified in contemporaneous reporting was Luigi Darracova, described as Crispo’s astrologist and confidant. In interviews conducted for Vanity Fair, Darracova stated that he had known Crispo since 1965, when he operated a small gallery in Philadelphia. Darracova recalled first encountering him as a young and attentive gallery visitor, already demonstrating an interest in art and an awareness of gallery culture well before establishing himself professionally.

By the early 1960s, Crispo began to distance himself from Philadelphia and the instability of his youth. He relocated to New York City, a move described in later profiles as a deliberate attempt to reinvent himself and escape the constraints of his early life . Those who later reflected on this period characterized Crispo as intent on reshaping his identity and positioning himself within environments that offered access to wealth, culture, and influence.

Together, these early experiences — an institutional childhood, largely self-directed survival, and early exposure to patrons, galleries, and mentors — formed the foundation for Crispo’s later career in the art trade and his ability to navigate elite social and commercial circles despite the absence of traditional credentials.

After relocating to New York City in the 1960s, Andrew Crispo entered the art trade through informal apprenticeships rather than academic or curatorial training. He worked initially as a gofer and assistant for East Side art and antiques dealers, learning the mechanics of the market through observation and personal relationships rather than formal study. By the late 1960s, he had become a regular presence in galleries, auction rooms, and private viewings, positioning himself within the commercial art world through persistence and social fluency.