The Man Who Stole the Gods - by Matthew Campbell (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Amidst the chaos of Cambodia's brutal genocide, a new crime wave emerged--one that would sweep across borders and entangle the world's most prestigious art institutions. Priceless treasures of the ancient Khmer Empire, the civilization that produced Angkor Wat, vanished from sacred temples, looted by smugglers and trafficked into the hands of elite collectors. At the center of it all was a man named Douglas Latchford.

Known later as "Dynamite Doug" for the ruthless methods used to extract statues from temple ruins, Latchford orchestrated one of history's most audacious cultural heists. From dusty Cambodian villages to the glittering auction houses of London and New York and institutions like the Met, he played a double game--posing as an expert on Khmer art while secretly flooding the market with stolen antiquities.

In The Man Who Stole the Gods, award-winning journalist Matthew Campbell unravels the gripping, stranger-than-fiction story of Latchford's criminal enterprise, and a global conspiracy of greed, corruption, and complicity--one that involves some of the world's most powerful museums, collectors, and auction houses.

A masterful blend of true crime, history, and investigative journalism, The Man Who Stole the Gods is the definitive account of one man's greed, an industry's complicity, and the fight to expose the truth and restore stolen treasures to their rightful home.

About the Author

Campbell has reported from more than twenty-five countries on topics including crime, corruption, terrorism, economics, public health, and the environment. His work has been recognized with some of the most prestigious honors in journalism. He and Chellel won Gerald Loeb and Overseas Press Club awards for their coverage of Goldman Sachs's business dealings with Libyan dictator Muammar al-Qaddafi, and Campbell has also received National Press Club, SOPA, and SABEW awards for feature and investigative reporting. He is a seven-time Loeb finalist in addition to his win with Chellel and in 2022 was a finalist for a National Magazine Award for public interest reporting. He lives in Singapore with his family.