The truth behind antiquities trafficking and how to stop it

Internationally renowned Head of Antiquities Trafficking Unit, Colonel Matthew Bogdanos speaks on current issues in antiquities looting

The presentation will explore the trafficking in looted antiquities that often funds terrorism, while destroying the irreplaceable heritage of all humanity. Through unparalleled photographs from Afghanistan to Iraq and a dozen other countries, it will expose the global black market. Colonel Bogdanos will describe his team’s recovery of more than 15,000 of history’s most priceless antiquities from around the world, but especially from Egypt, while also detailing the ongoing efforts of New York’s, one of a kind, antiquities trafficking unit.

Presented with support from the Nicholas Anthony Aroney Greek Cultural Fund.

Venue: Everest Theatre, Seymour Centre

About our Speaker

Colonel Matthew Bogdanos is a homicide prosecutor for the New York County District Attorney’s Office, who created and heads the Antiquities Trafficking Unit, the only one of its kind in the world. A native New Yorker of a first-generation immigrant family, he was raised waiting tables in his family's Greek restaurant in Lower Manhattan. A former amateur middleweight boxer who joined the U.S. Marine Corps at 19, he left active duty in 1988 to join the DA’s Office. Remaining in the reserves, he led a counter-narcotics operation on the Mexican border, and served in Desert Storm, South Korea, Lithuania, Guyana, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kosovo.

Losing his apartment near the World Trade Center on 9/11, he was recalled to active duty, joined a counter-terrorism task force in Afghanistan, and received a Bronze Star for actions against al-Qaeda. He then served three tours in Iraq, leading the international investigation into the looting of Iraq’s National Museum, resulting in the recovery of almost 9,000 stolen antiquities. Exposing the link between antiquities trafficking and terrorist financing, he has spoken before the United Nations, Interpol, British Parliament, European Union, European Parliament, and U.S. Congress, and in 2005, received a National Humanities Medal from President Bush. In 2009, he deployed to Afghanistan for his 6th post-9/11 combat tour.

Returning to the DA’s Office in 2010, his Unit has recovered more than 6,000 antiquities—totaling $480 million—stolen from Greece, Italy, Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Cambodia, Nepal, Thailand, and others. He still boxes—with an 13-3 record since his 40th birthday, and co-founded an annual charity boxing gala, Battle of the Barristers, that has raised more than $1.8 million for wounded veterans and children at risk.

He holds a classics degree from Bucknell University; a master’s degree in Strategic Studies from the Army War College; and a law degree, a master’s degree in Classics, and a Recognition of Achievement in International Law, all from Columbia University. In addition to dozens of military decorations, he was appointed a Knight of the Order of the Star of Italy and a Commander of Greece’s Order of the Phoenix. He has also received a 2011 Ellis Island Medal of Honor, 2016 Vatican Giuseppe Sciacca Award, 2017 Global Hope Coalition Everyday Heroes Award, 2025 Archbishop Iakovos Leadership 100 Award for Excellence, 2025 Columbia University Deans’ Award for Distinguished Achievement, Proclamations from the Cities of New York in 2007 and Philadelphia in 2009, and was Grand Marshal of the 2010 Greek Independence Day Parade. Published in the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and military, archaeological, legal, and international journals, royalties from his book, Thieves of Baghdad, are donated to the Iraq Museum.