The Man Who Stole the Gods: A True Story of War, Obsession, and a Global Art Conspiracy
Matthew Campbell
Jun 2026 · Penguin Random House Audio · Narrated by Nicholas Boulton
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10 hr 34 min
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SHORTLISTED FOR THE SABEW 2026 BEST IN BUSINESS BOOK AWARDS
The shocking true story of the prolific art smuggler who looted the cultural treasures of a war-torn nation—and the global network that connects criminals like him to billionaire collectors, glittering auction houses, and world-famous museums
“An epic tale of art, war, and crime.”—Stuart A. Reid, author of The Lumumba Plot
“An archaeological adventure to rival David Grann’s The Lost City of Z, and a riveting exposé of the plunder that still fills the world’s top art museums.”—Zeke Faux, author of Number Go Up
In the 1970s, 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 for decades. 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—presenting himself 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 story of Latchford's criminal enterprise, and a global conspiracy of greed and collusion—one that involves some of the world's most powerful museums and collectors.
A masterful blend of true crime, history, and investigative journalism, drawing on years of reporting and more than 100 interviews, 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.
The shocking true story of the prolific art smuggler who looted the cultural treasures of a war-torn nation—and the global network that connects criminals like him to billionaire collectors, glittering auction houses, and world-famous museums
“An epic tale of art, war, and crime.”—Stuart A. Reid, author of The Lumumba Plot
“An archaeological adventure to rival David Grann’s The Lost City of Z, and a riveting exposé of the plunder that still fills the world’s top art museums.”—Zeke Faux, author of Number Go Up
In the 1970s, 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 for decades. 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—presenting himself 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 story of Latchford's criminal enterprise, and a global conspiracy of greed and collusion—one that involves some of the world's most powerful museums and collectors.
A masterful blend of true crime, history, and investigative journalism, drawing on years of reporting and more than 100 interviews, 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.
SHORTLISTED FOR THE SABEW 2026 BEST IN BUSINESS BOOK AWARDS
The shocking true story of the prolific art smuggler who looted the cultural treasures of a war-torn nation—and the global network that connects criminals like him to billionaire collectors, glittering auction houses, and world-famous m...
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About the author
Matthew Campbell is an award-winning reporter for Bloomberg Businessweek and the author of The Man Who Stole the Gods: A True Story of War, Obsession, and a Global Art Conspiracy. His previous book, Dead in the Water—co-authored with Kit Chellel—was selected as a Book of the Year by The Economist, the Financial Times, and The Times.
Matt has reported from more than twenty-five countries on crime, corruption, terrorism, economics, and the environment. His work has earned some of journalism’s highest honors, including awards from the Gerald Loeb Foundation, the Overseas Press Club, the National Press Club, SOPA, and SABEW for both feature and investigative reporting. A 2025 Jonathan Logan Family Foundation Fellow at New America, Matt lives in Singapore with his family.
Matt has reported from more than twenty-five countries on crime, corruption, terrorism, economics, and the environment. His work has earned some of journalism’s highest honors, including awards from the Gerald Loeb Foundation, the Overseas Press Club, the National Press Club, SOPA, and SABEW for both feature and investigative reporting. A 2025 Jonathan Logan Family Foundation Fellow at New America, Matt lives in Singapore with his family.
Matthew Campbell is an award-winning reporter for Bloomberg Businessweek and the author of The Man Who Stole the Gods: A True Story of War, Obsession, and a Global Art Conspiracy. His previous book, Dead in the Water—co-authored with Kit Chellel—was selected as a Book of the Year by The Economist...
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