A British antiquities dealer, Douglas Latchford, has been accused of making millions from an international looting network. Latchford, who died in 2020, allegedly sold stolen artifacts from Cambodia to collectors and museums around the world.

Illicit Trade

According to investigators, Latchford’s inventory included items that were illegally pillaged from abandoned archeological sites like Angkor Wat and Koh Ker. Small-scale looters, sometimes with the help of local military personnel, would remove the works and transport them to the Thai border, where they would be sold to Latchford.

Latchford would then sell these artifacts to collectors and museums, often using falsified records to conceal their true origins. Some of these artifacts have since been returned to Cambodia, including over 100 items that were inherited by Latchford’s daughter, Julia.

Consequences

The scandal has had significant consequences for the art world, with many collectors and museums now wary of purchasing Khmer artifacts. The market for these items has essentially been ended, with many considering them to be tainted by their illicit origins.

Original reporting: KTVZ (Central Oregon) — read the source article.