Case File #178

Crimes of the Art

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Eight minutes in and out. That’s how long it took thieves to take off with the French crown jewels at the Louvre in October 2025 – a haul valued at $102 million. Host Roshini Rajkumar gets insider details from Deborah Pierce, retired Deputy Assistant Director of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. She brings decades of experience overseeing investigations into organized crime and art heists. Deborah offers an eye-opening look into a world few people see and breaks down the biggest myths about heists, the hidden layers of cultural property crime, soldier souvenirs and the rise of AI-driven art fraud. Retired Special Agent Pierce explains why she’s motivated to teach others and expose the shadowy world of art crime, which is estimated at $10 billion of theft annually. Have information that could help solve art crimes or support repatriation efforts? Submit tips directly to the FBI here

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