Former Assistant U.S. Attorney; FBI Special Agent to Discuss Work Prosecuting International Art & Cultural History Thieves

Contact: Kathy Thompson, AU WCL Public Relations, 202-274-4279; Cell Phone: 703-855-5556

Washington, D.C. (Oct. 5, 2006) – A former Assistant U.S. Attorney and a special agent for the FBI National Art Crime Team will provide a first-hand account of their work prosecuting international art thieves on Monday, Oct. 9, from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m., in Room 528 of American University’s Washington College of Law, 4801 Massachusetts Ave, NW. The event is sponsored by WCL’s Program on Information Justice and Intellectual Property.

Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Goldman and FBI Special Agent Robert K. Wittman have been instrumental in convicting crime rings involved in the theft and smuggling of priceless artwork, including works by Norman Rockwell and Francisco Goya, as well as historical items owned by George Washington, Patrick Henry and others. Together, they have recovered more than $150 million in stolen art and cultural property as part of the FBI’s National Art Crime Team, which is dedicated to combating the growing black market in stolen art and cultural property. Goldman and Wittman brought the first prosecution under the Theft of Major Artwork statute, and, based on their work, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania leads the nation in prosecutions under this statute.

Robert Goldman is a litigation partner with the firm Fox Rothschild LLP. Prior to joining Fox Rothschild, he was an assistant U.S. attorney since 1987. Goldman has trained law enforcement personnel in the U.S., Russia, Belgium and Peru and was named in Nov. 2005 by the Department of Justice as Special Trial Attorney assigned to advise the newly created FBI Art Crime Team.

Robert K. Wittman joined the FBI as a Special Agent in 1988 and is currently assigned to the Philadelphia Field Division. As a result of specialized FBI training in art, antique, jewelry and gem identification. He specializes and serves as the Bureau’s investigative expert in this field worldwide, and has been designated as the Senior Investigator of the FBI’s rapid deployment national Art Crime Team.

WCL’s Program on Information Justice and Intellectual Property (PIJIP) promotes public interest approaches in the law governing information protection and dissemination. PIJIP includes WCL’s internationally-recognized intellectual property curriculum, which features a pioneering intellectual property legal clinic, two LL.M. certificates, full-time faculty with expertise in all areas of the field, internship and externship opportunities with intellectual property-related organizations, more than 25 specialized courses, and multiple student activities including moot court competitions and an intellectual property law society.

This event is free and open to the public. To arrange to attend or for other media assistance, contact Kathy Thompson, director of Public Relations, 202-274-4279; Cell: 703-855-5556 or E-mail: kthomp@wcl.american.edu.

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Contact Information

Kathy Thompson

Director, Office of Public Relations

Washington College of Law at American University

Contact via E-mail