The unbelievable true story of how one man stole tens of thousands of priceless artifacts and human remains from around the world—and the FBI’s massive undertaking to set things right.
In The Grave Robber, Tim Carpenter, former FBI Lead Investigator on the Art Crime Team, recounts one of the most extraordinary and unsettling cases in the history of art theft. Over the course of five decades, a lone graverobber accumulated an illicit trove of over 42,000 artifacts from cultures across the globe, including Native American, Haitian, Chinese, and others. The stolen items included nearly 500 ancestral remains, carefully looted from sacred burial sites and cultural heritage locations. Carpenter’s team, driven by an unwavering commitment to justice, embarks on a harrowing journey to track down this elusive criminal and uncover the full scope of the theft. What they find is nothing short of staggering: an illegal collection of immense historical and cultural significance, hidden away in a Midwestern home.
Part true crime narrative, part procedural, The Grave Robber offers a gripping, behind-the-scenes look at the meticulous work involved in tracking down one of the most prolific art thieves in history. Carpenter takes readers inside the FBI’s groundbreaking investigation, detailing the complex challenges of recovering stolen cultural artifacts and the legal and moral dilemmas of repatriating them to their rightful communities. Along the way, the Bureau’s efforts to confront these crimes evolve, as they come to terms with the deep historical wounds caused by such looting—especially the desecration of Native American graves and ancestral sites. With rare access to both the investigation and the impacted communities, Carpenter’s narrative sheds light on the lengths the FBI and tribal representatives go to in their pursuit of justice.
As the case progresses, the narrative expands from a tense pursuit of a criminal to a larger reckoning with history and cultural heritage. The repatriation of these sacred objects and remains to their rightful owners becomes an act of restoration—not just of physical artifacts, but of dignity and respect for the communities whose ancestors were so violently wronged. The story of The Grave Robber is one of redemption and transformation: for the FBI, which redefined its approach to cultural crimes, and for the tribes and cultures who finally see justice done. This riveting account of a stolen past and the quest to make it right reads like a thriller, but it is ultimately a story of healing, responsibility, and the importance of preserving history for future generations.
About the Author :
Tim Carpenter is the FBI’s Art Crime Team Senior Special Advisor. Carpenter also led the Art Crime Team for nearly 6 years, and was the first member of the team promoted from within to lead it. He is a former bomb technician and police officer and served nearly twelve years in the US Air Force and Air Force Reserve as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician.
Carpenter is frequently sought after for interviews and feature pieces, and has conducted more than 100 interviews for television, print, radio, podcasts, and online formats. He has been featured in Vanity Fair, the Washington Post Magazine, on NPR, CBS, and more. He has also served as a speaker, lecturer and panelist at a variety of prestigious venues, including Congress, the Smithsonian, and George Washington University Law School.
Carpenter started and led the FBI’s largest recovery of stolen and looted cultural property in the Bureau’s history during the landmark Don Miller case. The case marked a turning point for how the FBI approaches sensitive cultural matters, particularly related to Native American tribes. For his efforts in the repatriation process of ancestral remains and historic objects, Carpenter received the Public Service Award from the Society for American Archeology. He is also the recipient of the FBI Director’s Award – the highest honor in the FBI.
