Priceless is a memoir, not an autobiography or exposé. It’s my version of what happened—no one else’s. Much of this book is based on what I recall. My collaborator, John Shiffman, and I strived to reconstruct events as accurately as possible. We reviewed news accounts, government reports, art crime books, art history books, personal notes, video, photographs, and receipts—as well as official and unofficial documents and transcripts. We revisited crime scenes and museums in the United States and Europe. To re-create dialogue during several stings, we reviewed surveillance audio, video, and transcripts. We also leaned on friends and family to help re-create conversations and provide critical context. I thank them again for helping me craft a memoir that hews as closely as possible to the truth.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
October 5, 1979.
SINCE WE OPENED EVERY CHAPTER WITH A DATE, IT makes sense to begin the acknowledgments with the most important date in my life—the day I met my wife, Donna, the person without whom I would not be the man I am today. She has led when I followed, given me her strength when I was weak, and carried me when I couldn’t walk, through trial and tribute. Without her, the stories in this book and the lines of my life could not have been written. Thank you, my love, for choosing and believing in me for all of these years. We have lived this tale together.
My three children—mature, quiet, and studious Kevin; boisterous, outgoing, and sure-of-himself Jeffrey; intelligent, beautiful, apple of my eye Kristin—have been a grand source of inspiration. They have taught me many things, not the least of which is the importance of staying focused to devotion to a cause, and to family. I am proud to say they are all better people than me. My parents, Robert and Yachiyo Wittman; my brother, William D. Wittman and his wife, Robin; and my uncle Jack Wittman and his wife, Doris, taught me to aim high and encouraged me to pursue my ambitions. Thanks also to Donna’s family—her mother, Geraldine, and father, William T. Goodhand Sr.; her brother, William T. Goodhand Jr., and his wife, Susan—who stood by me during the bad times as well as the good.
This book would not have been possible without the help of many individuals. First and foremost is John Shiffman, my cowriter. He is brilliant and I think this will be the start of a long and successful book-writing career for him. It was my pleasure to help him fulfill a dream. His wife, Catherine Dunn Shiffman, worked diligently to ensure that we stayed on course and kept the book accessible. My agent, Larry Weissman, and his partner, Sascha Alper, who believed in me and the project from the beginning, were instrumental in seeing it through. Rick Horgan and Julian Pavia, my editors at Crown, are true gentlemen and made many insightful edits and excellent suggestions.
At the FBI, I owe a special debt of gratitude to Linda Vizi for her help and counsel throughout the years. I would also like to thank my former squad supervisors—John Louden, Tom Dowd, Mike Thompson, Henry James Sweeney, Mike Carbonell, and John Kitzinger. It was my pleasure to serve under them. The Special-Agents-in-Charge of the Philadelphia office during my tenure—Bob Reutter, Bob Conforti, Jeff Lampinski, Jack Eckenrode, Jody Weis, and Jan Fedarcyk—were enlightened enough to support art crime investigations, even when they weren’t a headquarters priority.
I never worked alone—it was always a team effort. And while no list of street agents would be complete, I would be remiss not to mention a few who were and are dearest in my heart. First is Stephen J. Heaney, a talented and dedicated investigator and my surrogate little brother, who always had my back when organizing undercover sting takedowns in Philadelphia. Thanks also to Special Agents Doug Hess, Pam Stratton, Michael A. Thompson, Jay Heine, Mitch Banta, Judy Tyler, Konrad Motyka, Sean Sterle, Alejandro Peraza, Gary Bennett, Chris Calarco, Eric Ives, Bob Bazin, Joe Majarowitz, Frank Brostrom, Cathy Begley, Brian Midkiff, Amanda Moran, Lou Vizi, Jack Garcia, Tom Duffy, Jesse Coleman, Al Bodnar, J. J. Klaver, Martin Suarez, Henry Mercadal, Vince Pankoke, Mike German, Jason Richards, Tim Carpenter, Jim Wynne, Johanna Loonie, Greg Johnson, Joaquin “Jack” Garcia, Marc Barri, Leo Tadeo, Ron Kozial, and Ron Nolan. In the front office, Jerri Williams, R. J. Saturno, John Thomas, and Ron Hosko were always friends and often advocates. At FBI headquarters, Lynne Richardson and Bonnie Magness-Gardiner, who managed the art-theft program, deserve kudos for trying to keep the program alive by continuing to stir the pot with managers.
Special thanks to my other comrades in law enforcement: prosecutor Maureen Barden, who taught me the ropes and also how to be compassionate; the trio on the jewelry theft gang case—prosecutor Chris Hall and police officers Edward Quinn and Jack Quinn—who taught me how to really conduct a criminal investigation; Fish and Wildlife Special Agent Lucinda Schroeder, for her excellent undercover work in the Joshua Baer and Geronimo war bonnet cases; police Col. Pierre Tabel, the former chief of the French national art crime team; French police officer Damien Delaby; Karl Heinz-Kind and Fabrizio Rossi of Interpol; Gen. Giovanni Nistri, chief of the Italian art crime team; Col. Matthew Bogdanos of the U.S. Marines; and Vernon Rapley and Gary Oldman of Scotland Yard.
I also wish to thank the civilians who helped me during my career—men and women who care deeply about preserving art and antiquities for future generations: Herbert Lottier and Mark Tucker of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Bob Combs and Wilbur Faulk of the Getty Museum, Ron Simoncini of the Museum of Modern Art, J. J. McLaughlin of the Smithsonian Institution, John Burelli of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Dick Drent of the Van Gogh Museum, Dennis Ahern of the Tate Museums, Anthony Amore of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Milton Esterow of ArtNews, Renee Bomgardner at the Barnes Foundation, Kristen Froelich at the Atwater Kent Museum, Clark Erickson, C. Brian Rose, Pam Kosty, Therese Marmion, and Steve Epstein at the University of Pennsylvania, Charlene Bangs Bickford of the First Federal Congress Project, Stephen Harmelin of Dilworth Paxson LLP, Walter Alva of the Royal Tombs of Sipan Museum, Andy Newman of Newman Gallery, Carl David of David Gallery, art dealer George Turak, Bo Freeman of Freeman Fine Arts Auction House, Bill Bunch of William Bunch Auctions, Robert Crozier, William O’Connor and the ICEFAT community, Sharon Flesher of the International Foundation of Art Research, and Chris Marinello and Julian Radcliffe of the Art Loss Register.
To the world’s three best lawyers, Mike Pinsky, Bob Goldman, and Dave Halclass="underline" Thank you, counselors. I wouldn’t have accomplished anything without you.
Finally, to my friend Denis Bozella, whom I think about every day.
Robert K. Wittman
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
JOHN SHIFFMAN WOULD also like to thank Bill Marimow, Vernon Loeb, Tom McNamara, and Avery Rome in Philadelphia; Tom Mashberg in Boston; Vincent Noce and Aline Magnien in Paris; Eleni Papageorgiou in Milan; Blythe Bowman Proulx in Richmond; and Caitlin Lukacs and Brooke Shearer in Washington. Thanks also to my terrific writing and traveling partners, Bob and Donna Wittman. To Peter Franceschina, grazie mille. Special thanks to Paul, Sevah, Belle, Will, Jake, Nick, and Sam. Cathy is, of course, priceless.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
ROBERT K. WITTMAN spent twenty years as an FBI special agent. He helped create and was senior investigator for the bureau’s Art Crime Team. He has represented the United States around the world conducting investigations and instructing international police and museums in investigation, recovery, and security techniques. He is president of the international art security firm Robert Wittman Inc. Contact him at www.robertwittmaninc.com