It sucks when news that you're under criminal investigation comes out during your civil trial. A judge in Shepard Fairey's legal fight with the AP today revealed that the lying Obama "HOPE" poster artist is being investigated for, yep, lying.

The street artist-turned-hip-political-propaganda-designer has been in court for months now over the fact that he ripped off an AP photo of Obama looking majestic for his popular election-era poster. During these legal wranglings, he lied in court and to bloggers, and photoshopped some evidence he submitted to make it seem like he didn't rip off the AP. So, even though the details of his criminal investigation were "not divulged," according to the AP, it's got to do with all that lying. Guess all of Fairey's legal problems can't end in providing him a solid excuse for never having to visit Boston.