Priceless : how I went undercover to rescue the world's stolen treasures

The Wall Street Journal called him “a living legend.” The London Times dubbed him “the most famous art detective in the world.” In Priceless, Robert K. Wittman, the founder of the FBIвЂTMs Art Crime Team, pulls back the curtain on his remarkable career for the first time, offering a real-life international thriller to rival The Thomas Crown Affair . В В Rising from humble roots as the son of an antique dealer, Wittman built a twenty-year career that was nothing short of extraordinary. He went undercover, usually unarmed, to catch art thieves, scammers, and black market traders in Paris and Philadelphia, Rio and Santa Fe, Miami and Madrid. In this page-turning memoir, Wittman fascinates with the stories behind his recoveries of priceless art and antiquities: The golden armor of an ancient Peruvian warrior king. The Rodin sculpture that inspired the Impressionist movement. The headdress Geronimo wore at his final Pow-Wow. The rare Civil War battle flag carried into battle by one of the nationвЂTMs first African-American regiments. The breadth of WittmanвЂTMs exploits is unmatched: He traveled the world to rescue paintings by Rockwell and Rembrandt, Pissarro, Monet and Picasso, often working undercover overseas at the whim of foreign governments. Closer to home, he recovered an original copy of the Bill of Rights and cracked the scam that rocked the PBS series Antiques Roadshow. By the FBIвЂTMs accounting, Wittman saved hundreds of millions of dollars worth of art and antiquities. He says the statistic isnвЂTMt important. After all, whoвЂTMs to say what is worth more --a Rembrandt self-portrait or an American flag carried into battle? They're both priceless.В The art thieves and scammers Wittman caught run the gamut from rich to poor, smart to foolish, organized criminals to desperate loners.В The smuggler who brought him a looted 6th-century treasure turned out to be a high-ranking diplomat.В The appraiser who stole countless heirlooms from war heroesвЂTM descendants was a slick, aristocratic con man.В The museum janitor who made off with locks of George Washington's hair just wanted to make a few extra bucks, figuring no one would miss what heвЂTMd filched. In his final case, Wittman called on every bit of knowledge and experience in his arsenal to take on his greatest challenge: working undercover to track the vicious criminals behind what might be the most audacious art theft of all.В From Publishers Weekly Former FBI agent Wittman, who created the agency's Art Crime Team and pursued a lifelong interest in antiques and collectibles, goes undercover to hobnob with infamous art thieves. The ineffective, the stupid, the clever, and the dangerous; Wittman befriends them all, in order to betray them, a fact that causes him a certain amount of angst. Among other challenges are bumbling agency bureaucrats and government turf wars when attempting to recover stolen art abroad. A fatal car accident that Wittman was involved in early in his career shaped his perspective: "I understood that because someone made a mistake in judgment, it didn't make him evil. My newfound ability to see both sides of a situation-to think and feel like the accused-was invaluable." Wittman keeps the narrative interesting, and reveals himself as something of a renegade: "Under the FBI's strict undercover rules, you're only supposed to work one case at a time. I never followed that rule." Keep the lies to a minimum, he advises, and avoid working in your home town. Copyright В© Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Review “Almost every case he recounts has enough intrigue and suspense for a Hollywood screenplay.”--The Washington Post "Genius... Riveting.... Should be a TV series."--Los Angeles Times "A rollicking memoir... investigative details dazzle... PRICELESS can read at times, not unpleasantly, as if an art history textbook got mixed up at the printer with a screenplay for THE WIRE."--The New York Times "Riveting... superbly crafted... absolutely, hands down the best book ever written on art crime."--Associated Press “I canвЂTMt think of a better title for a book than this one, PRICELESS.В Because this non-fiction story is priceless, a spellbinding narrative of an FBI agentвЂTMs journey into the crazy murk of what is perhaps the most fascinating criminal activity of all, high-stakes art theft into the millions upon millions.”--Buzz Bissinger, New York Times bestselling author of FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS and coauthor of SHOOTING STARS "Entertaining...crime buffs will receive a painless education while they enjoy a lively account of art thieves and the man who pursued them."--Kirkus Reviews "Wittman's memoir, PRICELESS, is a fast-paced, gripping narrative of stolen national treasures and those who traffic in them. An undercover lawman armed with wit and adrenalin, Wittman exposes the darkest corners of the art world and brings to justice the dangerous criminals who lurk there."--Laney Salisbury, co-author of PROVENANCE: HOW A CONВ MAN AND A FORGER REWROTE THE HISTORY OF MODERN ART "In one riveting sequence after another, Robert Wittman reveals the art worldвЂTMs underbelly as it has never been seen, through the eyes of an undercover agent whose investigative acumen is matched only by his art-history chops. A true page-turner."--Benjamin Wallace, New York Times bestseller author of THE BILLIONAIREвЂTMS VINEGAR “With suspense, intrigue, and candor, FBI agent Robert Wittman takes us inside the secret world of stolen art as he goes undercover to solve some of the most notorious art thefts of our time.”—Ronald Kessler, New York Times bestselling author of THE BUREAU and IN THE PRESIDENTвЂTMS SECRET SERVICE “PRICELESS is a gem of a story, part James Bond, part art history.В If Robert Wittman didnвЂTMt already exist, Dan Brown would have made him up.”--George Anastasia, New York Times bestselling author BLOOD AND HONOR, THE LAST GANGSTER and THE SUMMER WIND "More realistic than THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR, more entertaining than CATCH ME IF YOU CAN.В It's hard to believe one undercover FBI Agent rescued so many cultural and national treasures......but it's all true.”--Jack Garcia, former FBI undercover agent and New York Times bestselling author of MAKING JACK FALCONE “ PRICELESS is a rare and riveting journey into the little-understood world of art crime.В В AВ brilliant professional who sees both the big picture and all of its nuances, WittmanВ fascinates with tales of his daring adventures as an FBI undercover agent.В Demonstrating candor, humor, integrity, and sensitivity,В Wittman strips away the myths, bares the truth, and tells it like it is.В HeВ and PRICELESS are both precisely that--priceless!”--Andrea Kane, New York Times bestselling author of DRAWN IN BLOOD ## From Publishers Weekly Former FBI agent Wittman, who created the agency's Art Crime Team and pursued a lifelong interest in antiques and collectibles, goes undercover to hobnob with infamous art thieves. The ineffective, the stupid, the clever, and the dangerous; Wittman befriends them all, in order to betray them, a fact that causes him a certain amount of angst. Among other challenges are bumbling agency bureaucrats and government turf wars when attempting to recover stolen art abroad. A fatal car accident that Wittman was involved in early in his career shaped his perspective: "I understood that because someone made a mistake in judgment, it didn't make him evil. My newfound ability to see both sides of a situation-to think and feel like the accused-was invaluable." Wittman keeps the narrative interesting, and reveals himself as something of a renegade: "Under the FBI's strict undercover rules, you're only supposed to work one case at a time. I never followed that rule." Keep the lies to a minimum, he advises, and avoid working in your home town. Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. ## Review Almost every case he recounts has enough intrigue and suspense for a Hollywood screenplay.--The Washington Post "Genius... Riveting.... Should be a TV series."--Los Angeles Times "A rollicking memoir... investigative details dazzle... PRICELESS can read at times, not unpleasantly, as if an art history textbook got mixed up at the printer with a screenplay for THE WIRE."--The New York Times "Riveting... superbly crafted... absolutely, hands down the best book ever written on art crime."--Associated Press I cant think of a better title for a book than this one, PRICELESS. Because this non-fiction story is priceless, a spellbinding narrative of an FBI agents journey into the crazy murk of what is perhaps the most fascinating criminal activity of all, high-stakes art theft into the millions upon millions.--Buzz Bissinger, New York Times bestselling author of FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS and coauthor of SHOOTING STARS "Entertaining...crime buffs will receive a painless education while they enjoy a lively account of art thieves and the man who pursued them."--Kirkus Reviews "Wittman's memoir, PRICELESS, is a fast-paced, gripping narrative of stolen national treasures and those who traffic in them. An undercover lawman armed with wit and adrenalin, Wittman exposes the darkest corners of the art world and brings to justice the dangerous criminals who lurk there."--Laney Salisbury, co-author of PROVENANCE: HOW A CON MAN AND A FORGER REWROTE THE HISTORY OF MODERN ART "In one riveting sequence after another, Robert Wittman reveals the art worlds underbelly as it has never been seen, through the eyes of an undercover agent whose investigative acumen is matched only by his art-history chops. A true page-turner."--Benjamin Wallace, New York Times bestseller author of THE BILLIONAIRES VINEGAR With suspense, intrigue, and candor, FBI agent Robert Wittman takes us inside the secret world of stolen art as he goes undercover to solve some of the most notorious art thefts of our time.Ronald Kessler, New York Times bestselling author of THE BUREAU and IN THE PRESIDENTS SECRET SERVICE PRICELESS is a gem of a story, part James Bond, part art history. If Robert Wittman didnt already exist, Dan Brown would have made him up.--George Anastasia, New York Times bestselling author BLOOD AND HONOR, THE LAST GANGSTER and THE SUMMER WIND "More realistic than THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR, more entertaining than CATCH ME IF YOU CAN. It's hard to believe one undercover FBI Agent rescued so many cultural and national treasures......but it's all true.--Jack Garcia, former FBI undercover agent and New York Times bestselling author of MAKING JACK FALCONE PRICELESS is a rare and riveting journey into the little-understood world of art crime.Abrilliant professional who sees both the big picture and all of its nuances, Wittmanfascinates with tales of his daring adventures as an FBI undercover agent. Demonstrating candor, humor, integrity, and sensitivity,Wittman strips away the myths, bares the truth, and tells it like it is. Heand PRICELESS are both precisely that--priceless!--Andrea Kane, __New York Times__ bestselling author of __DRAWN IN BLOOD__

The Wall Street Journal called him “a living legend.” The London Times dubbed him “the most famous art detective in the world.”
 
In Priceless, Robert K. Wittman, the founder of the FBI’s Art Crime Team, pulls back the curtain on his remarkable career for the first time, offering a real-life international thriller to rival The Thomas Crown Affair.   
 
Rising from humble roots as the son of an antique dealer, Wittman built a twenty-year career that was nothing short of extraordinary. He went undercover, usually unarmed, to catch art thieves, scammers, and black market traders in Paris and Philadelphia, Rio and Santa Fe, Miami and Madrid.
 
In this page-turning memoir, Wittman fascinates with the stories behind his recoveries of priceless art and antiquities: The golden armor of an ancient Peruvian warrior king. The Rodin sculpture that inspired the Impressionist movement. The headdress Geronimo wore at his final Pow-Wow. The rare Civil War battle flag carried into battle by one of the nation’s first African-American regiments.
 
The breadth of Wittman’s exploits is unmatched: He traveled the world to rescue paintings by Rockwell and Rembrandt, Pissarro, Monet and Picasso, often working undercover overseas at the whim of foreign governments. Closer to home, he recovered an original copy of the Bill of Rights and cracked the scam that rocked the PBS series Antiques Roadshow.
 
By the FBI’s accounting, Wittman saved hundreds of millions of dollars worth of art and antiquities. He says the statistic isn’t important. After all, who’s to say what is worth more —a Rembrandt self-portrait or an American flag carried into battle? They're both priceless. 
 
The art thieves and scammers Wittman caught run the gamut from rich to poor, smart to foolish, organized criminals to desperate loners.  The smuggler who brought him a looted 6th-century treasure turned out to be a high-ranking diplomat.  The appraiser who stole countless heirlooms from war heroes’ descendants was a slick, aristocratic con man.  The museum janitor who made off with locks of George Washington's hair just wanted to make a few extra bucks, figuring no one would miss what he’d filched.
 
In his final case, Wittman called on every bit of knowledge and experience in his arsenal to take on his greatest challenge: working undercover to track the vicious criminals behind what might be the most audacious art theft of all. 

The Washington Post - Sarah Halzack

Almost every case [Wittman] recounts has enough intrigue and suspense for a Hollywood screenplay…Less exciting but no less interesting are the details of how this former salesman and journalist fell into such a unique job and came to excel at it.

In Priceless, Robert K. Wittman, the founder of the FBIs Art Crime Team, pulls back the curtain on his career for the first time. Rising from humble roots as the son of an antiques dealer, Wittman built a twenty-year career that was nothing short of extraordinary. He went undercover, usually unarmed, to catch art thieves, scammers, and black market traders in Paris and Philadelphia, Rio and Santa Fe, Miami and Madrid. In this memoir, Wittman relates the stories behind his recoveries of priceless art and antiquities: The golden armor of an ancient Peruvian warrior king. The Rodin sculpture that inspired the Impressionist movement. The headdress Geronimo wore at his final Pow-Wow. The rare Civil War battle flag carried into battle by one of the nations first African-American regiments. The breadth of Wittmans exploits is unmatched: He traveled the world to rescue paintings by Rockwell and Rembrandt, Pissarro, Monet and Picasso, often working undercover overseas at the whim of foreign governments. Closer to home, he recovered an original copy of the Bill of Rights and cracked the scam that rocked the PBS series Antiques Roadshow. By the FBIs accounting, Wittman saved hundreds of millions of dollars worth of art and antiquities. He says the statistic isnt important. After all, whos to say what is worth more --a Rembrandt self-portrait or an American flag carried into battle? They're both priceless. The art thieves and scammers Wittman caught run the gamut from rich to poor, smart to foolish, organized criminals to desperate loners. The smuggler who brought him a looted 6th-century treasure turned out to be a high-ranking diplomat. The appraiser who stole countless heirlooms from war heroes descendants was a slick, aristocratic con man. The museum janitor who made off with locks of George Washington's hair just wanted to make a few extra bucks, figuring no one would miss what hed filched. In his final case, Wittman called on every bit of knowledge and experience in his arsenal to take on his greatest challenge: working undercover to track the vicious criminals behind what might be the most audacious art theft of all. Robert K. Wittman, the founder of the FBI's Art Crime Team, pulls back the curtain on his remarkable career, offering a real-life international thriller. The son of an antique dealer, Wittman built a twenty-year career going undercover, usually unarmed, to catch art thieves, scammers, and black market traders in Paris and Philadelphia, Rio and Santa Fe, Miami and Madrid. Wittman tells the stories behind his recoveries of priceless art and antiquities: the golden armor of an ancient Peruvian warrior king; the Rodin sculpture that inspired the Impressionist movement; the rare Civil War battle flag carried into battle by one of the nation's first African-American regiments. The art thieves and scammers he caught run the gamut from rich to poor, smart to foolish, organized criminals to desperate loners. Wittman has saved hundreds of millions of dollars worth of art and antiquities, but he considers them all equally priceless.--From publisher description. & nbsp;Read more... Alla prima. Stagehand -- Crimes against history -- Provenance. Making of an agent -- Mask of the man with the broken nose -- The accident -- Inspiration -- A new life -- Body of work. The gold man -- History out the back door -- A blood cloth -- Befriend & betray -- The con artist -- A hot hand -- The property of a lady -- National treasure -- Art crime team -- The old master -- Operation masterpiece. Mrs. Gardner -- Cold case -- A French connection -- Laurenz & Sunny -- Allies & enemies --- A coward has no scar -- Suspicious minds -- End game Alla Prima South Beach Crimes Against History Provenance The Making of an Agent "Mask of the Man with the Broken Nose" The Accident Learning to See A New Life Body of Work The Gold Man History Out the Back Door A Blood Cloth Befriend and Betray The Con Artist A Hot Hand The Property of a Lady National Treasure Art Crime Team The Old Master Operation Masterpiece Mrs. Gardner Cold Case A French Connection Laurenz and Sunny Allies and Enemies A Coward Has No Scar Suspicious Minds Endgame Author's Note Acknowledgements