New York Times Bestselling Author Ralph Pezzullo Discusses Art, Empire, and Modern-Day Heists for his New Book “The Great Chinese Art Heist”
Ralph Pezzullo is a New York Times bestselling author and the host of the popular podcast Heroes Behind Headlines. After receiving a master’s degree in international Affairs, he worked on Capitol Hill and later as a correspondent for Associated Press covering assignments in Latin America, and creating relationships with other diplomats, CIA agents, and military attaches across the world. His more than thirty books include Jawbreaker (with Gary Berntsen), Zero Footprint, Left of Boom, Ghost, and his memoir Saigon, which was recently published in Vietnamese.
His latest book, released July 15th, unveils a riveting tale of art, empire, and international intrigue in “The Great Chinese Art Heist”.
WELCOME TO WORLD AUTHORS RALPH PEZZULLO! WHAT INITIALLY SPARKED YOUR INTEREST IN WRITING THE GREAT CHINESE ART HEIST? WAS THERE A PARTICULAR HEIST OR INCIDENT THAT CAPTURED YOUR ATTENTION?
My friend former CIA case officer Doug Laux was the first person who made me aware of the article in GQ by Alex Palmer. It raised the issue of the heists and the possible involvement of Chinese billionaires and the Chinese Communist Party. I immediately wanted to know more.
HOW DID YOU FIRST DISCOVER THE CONNECTION BETWEEN MODERN MUSEUM HEISTS AND THE 19TH-CENTURY LOOTING OF THE OLD SUMMER PALACE IN BEIJING?
One of the first interviews I did was with Dr. Greg Thomas, professor of art history at the University of Hong Kong. He confirmed that many of the individual Chinese artifacts taken in the initial heists had previously been looted from the Yuanmingyuan Palace in 1860, at the end of the Second Opium War.
MANY OF THE THEFTS YOU DETAIL SOUND LIKE SCENES FROM A HOLLYWOOD THRILLER. WERE THERE ANY PARTICULAR HEISTS WHOSE DETAILS COMPLETELY SURPRISED OR SHOCKED YOU?
The first one remains the most spectacular. On the night of August 8, 2010, thieves first set fire to a half-dozen cars in a section of downtown Stockholm. The fires attracted a heavy police presence. Meanwhile, masked thieves arrived in a motorboat on the vast grounds of Sweden’s royal palace – Drottningholm Palace. While the Swedish royal family were asleep inside, the thieves mounted mopeds and drove to the nearby Chinese Pavilion. Without disturbing palace guards they broken into the Pavilion and stole a dozen priceless Chinese artifacts. They were in and out in less than six minutes. Then they jumped on the mopeds, raced to the waiting motorboat and sped off through Stockholm’s labyrinth of waterways to an unknown destination. The artifacts were never recovered.
YOUR BOOK BLENDS HISTORY, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM, AND TRUE CRIME. HOW DID YOU APPROACH STRUCTURING SUCH A COMPLEX NARRATIVE?
While doing research for the book, I realized that I couldn’t tell the story of the heists without examining Chinese history, especially during what they call their “Century of Humiliation.” I came up with a structure that weaves that history, the thefts and subsequent criminal investigations, and other issues of colonialism, repatriation and China’s current policy of what they call “unrestricted warfare” together.
WHAT WAS THE MOST CHALLENGING ASPECT OF RESEARCHING AND WRITING THIS BOOK?
Representing both sides fairly – the Chinese and the West.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE SOME OF THE PEOPLE YOU INTERVIEWED FOR THE BOOK? WERE THERE INDIVIDUALS WHOSE STORIES LEFT A DEEP IMPRESSION ON YOU?
Yes, many. Particularly Chinese billionaire Huang Nubo, who was is also a poet and at the age of ten was one of Mao’s Red Guards, denounced his parents and ordered his teachers to clean the toilets at his school. Other interesting people include international investigator Omar Khan who is an expert on the Triads.
HOW HAS WRITING THIS BOOK CHANGED YOUR OWN PERSPECTIVE ON ART, HISTORY, OR INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS?
I learned a lot about Chinese attitudes towards the West and their perspective on history. Also, how British colonial and empire-building was built of drug trafficking and the role played by Freemasons. And, how the world’s first international banks were created to service the opium trade to China.
ARE THERE OTHER HISTORICAL OR CULTURAL MYSTERIES YOU’RE CURRENTLY RESEARCHING OR CONSIDERING FOR YOUR NEXT PROJECT?
I’m currently writing a book about an international criminal conspiracy that has introduced and controls election machine software in the United States and 72 other countries around the world. It will be out in September.
FINALLY, WHAT DO YOU HOPE READERS WILL TAKE AWAY FROM THE GREAT CHINESE ART HEIST?
I hope they come away with a better understanding of Chinese attitudes towards the West and where those attitudes come from. And I hope that improved understanding helps both countries and peoples get along better.
Ralph Pezzullo’s “The Great Chinese Art Heist” is out now at all major book stores. For a direct link to Amazon visit here.
To learn more about the Author Ralph, don’t forget to check out his official website: ralphpezzulloauthor.com, and follow Ralph Pezzullo on social media: X and Instagram.