Behind the Scenes of Art Crime Investigations: Randy Deaton’s Pursuit of Stolen Art

What drives someone to steal priceless art and cultural treasures? And how do investigators bring these works back to their rightful place?

In this episode of Fed Time Stories, hosts Dave Brant and John Gill sit down with Randy Deaton, a former FBI Supervisory Special Agent who spent years unraveling high-stakes art crimes. Randy shares stories of chasing down stolen masterpieces, exposing elaborate forgery schemes, and collaborating with international experts to recover cultural artifacts from across the globe. Tackling these crimes required not just investigative skills but also an insider’s grasp of the art world and its many complexities.

He also shares insights into the teamwork behind these operations. From coordinating with art historians to collaborating with international law enforcement, Randy explains how these cases depended on the collective expertise and persistence of everyone involved.

Randy’s career, which started off with a desire to be a Louisiana State Trooper, instead led to working high-profile art crime investigations, and highlights a fascinating and lesser-known side of law enforcement. It’s a look at how passion and precision come together to protect the world’s cultural heritage.

Fed Time Stories is brought to you by Kaseware, an investigative case management solution. Learn more at www.kaseware.com/fedtimestoriespodcast