In this episode...

Art crime isn’t just the stuff of Hollywood thrillers—it’s a real-world problem where stolen masterpieces and looted antiquities are being trafficked across the far-reaches of the globe with devastating consequences. Tim Carpenter, a retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent and former head of the FBI’s Art Crime Team, has spent his career recovering stolen treasures, investigating fraud and forgery, and combatting art crimes across continents.

Now the founder of Argus Cultural Property Consultants, Tim discusses the evolving landscape of art crime, focusing on how OSINT is playing an increasingly crucial role in identifying and recovering stolen art. He also shares how technology is enabling better visibility into illicit markets, and how public crowdsourcing is enhancing efforts to trace looted cultural property.

Listen to hear Tim's insights into how the art world operates behind the scenes and how we can all play a part in safeguarding our shared cultural legacy.

What You’ll Learn

The Art of Investigation: How art crime investigations go beyond the classic heist to target forgeries, antiquities trafficking and money laundering.

Tech Meets Tradition: The growing role of OSINT and digital tools in recovering stolen art and tracking the illicit cultural property trade.

Cultural Heritage Protection: Why safeguarding art and cultural heritage is more than just a legal responsibility—it’s a key part of preserving our global identity.

Resources

·        Argus Cultural Property Consultants: https://arguscpc.com/

·        The Archaeological Institute of America 2025 Outstanding Public Service Award to the FBI's Art Crime Team and Dr. Holly Cusack-McVeigh Associate Professor of Anthropology and Museum Studies, Indiana University Indianapolis, and her students: https://arguscpc.com/aia2025-award/

·        FBI Seeks to Identify Rightful Owners in Cultural Artifacts Case, FBI, 27 February 2019: https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/fbi-seeks-owners-of-recovered-cultural-artifacts-022719

·        Iraq: The Rehabilitation of the Mosul Cultural Museum, Smithsonian Institution: https://culturalrescue.si.edu/why-it-matters/our-impact/iraq-rehabilitation-mosul-cultural-museum

·        Missing Mona Lisa: the story behind the 1911 theft of Leonardo's masterpiece, Gareth Harris, 6 February 2024: https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2024/02/06/missing-mona-lisa-the-story-behind-the-1911-theft

·        ‘These are terrible crimes’: A Ukrainian museum director’s fight to recover art, Sophia Kishkovsky, 16 July 2024: https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2024/07/16/these-are-terrible-crimes-a-ukrainian-museum-directors-fight-to-recover-art

Want to dig deeper?

·        Look out for Tim's forthcoming book, The Grave Robber: The biggest stolen artifacts case in FBI history and the Bureau's quest to set things right, Coming in October 2025: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-grave-robber-tim-carpenter/

·        Inside the FBI: The Art Crime Program, 1 November 2023: https://www.fbi.gov/news/podcasts/inside-the-fbi-podcast-the-art-crime-program

Open Secret is an OSINT Combine podcast, produced by TributePod.  

Open Secret is recorded on the lands of the Kabi Kabi people. OSINT Combine acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land where we live, work, and learn.