A True Story of War, Obsession, and a Global Art Conspiracy
Summary
Journalist Matthew Campbell discusses his book *The Man Who Stole the Gods* with Carl Hoffman, detailing the illicit trade of looted Khmer artifacts during Cambodia’s civil war. The episode explores how dealer Douglas Latchford supplied stolen statues to elite collectors and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, often using forged provenance documents. Campbell highlights the roles of key figures, including a former Khmer Rouge soldier turned master looter and the eventual Department of Justice investigation that led to the repatriation of some works.
Topics discussed
Introduction: Art trafficking and Douglas Latchford
The genesis of the story: Latchford and bodybuilding
Latchford's background and obsession with Khmer art
The Khmer Rouge era and the rise of looter Lion
The Khmer Empire's legacy and post-war looting economy
The spiritual allure of the statues and Western interest
The Met Museum's acquisition drive under Thomas Hoving
Willful blindness in the elite art market
DOJ investigation and the Sotheby's connection
Nancy Weiner's role and plea deal with prosecutors
Brad Adams' investigation and the master looter Lion
Lion's redemption and Latchford's death before extradition
Provenance fraud and the Ian Donaldson letters
Repatriation efforts and the Met's return of artifacts
The economics of demand and risk in art theft
Reconstructing Latchford's character and obsessions
The burden of returns on Cambodia's National Museum
Fieldwork in Cambodia: Landmines and local perspectives
Current security and matching stolen fragments
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