Priceless How I Went Undercover to Rescue the World’s Stolen Treasures – Audiobook
Priceless is an art book by author Robert K. Wittman, John Shiffman.
In Priceless, Robert K. Wittman, founder of the FBI’s Art Crime Team, lifts the curtain on his remarkable career for the first time, bringing a real-life international thriller to confront The Thomas Crown Affair.
A humble background as the son of an antiques dealer, Wittman has built a career spanning 20 years that is nothing short of extraordinary. He goes undercover, often unarmed, to catch art thieves, scammers and black market dealers in Paris and Philadelphia, Rio and Santa Fe, Miami and Madrid.
In this gripping memoir, Wittman is captivated by the stories behind his recovery of priceless works of art and antiquities: the golden armor of an ancient Peruvian warrior king. Rodin sculptures inspired the Impressionist movement. The hat that Geronimo wore on his last visit. The rare Civil War flag was carried into battle by one of the nation’s first African-American regiments.
Wittman’s range of accomplishments is unparalleled: He traveled the world to rescue paintings by Rockwell and Rembrandt, Pissarro, Monet and Picasso, often working secretly abroad at the will of foreign governments. . Closer to home, he recovered an original copy of the Bill of Rights and busted the scam that rocked PBS’ Antiques Roadshow series.
According to the FBI’s accountants, Wittman saved hundreds of millions of dollars worth of artwork and antiquities. He said stats don’t matter. After all, who would say which is more valuable – a self-portrait of Rembrandt or an American flag carried into battle? Both are priceless.
The art thieves and con artists that Wittman catches range from rich to poor, smart to stupid, organized crime to desperate loners. The smuggler who brought him a stolen sixth-century treasure turned out to be a high-ranking diplomat. The appraiser who stole countless heirlooms from the descendants of war heroes was a polished aristocratic swindler. The museum janitor who acquired the curls of George Washington just wanted a few extra dollars, assuming no one would miss what he stole.
Robert Wittman, with the help of John Shiffman, has woven a very detailed, engaging and informative memoir. This is a must-read for anyone interested in the growth of the FBI and interested in recovering decades of stolen artwork.
Typically, people take jobs in the public sector, spend their lives providing services, and then retire. Everyone can say they’ve left a mark in their field and made changes that make the next person’s work smoother, simpler, or more efficient, but not everyone can. say what Wittman has done. Robert Wittman thanks to luck, solid investigative work and ‘appropriate sales skills’ in this field have slowly built a career not only for himself but also a place for others to hopefully follow.
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Priceless
- How I Went Undercover to Rescue the World’s Stolen Treasures
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