Matthew Bogdanos, who has driven the New York District Attorney's Office campaign against antiquities traffickers, has won the $100,000 2026 Marica Vilcek Prize in Art History.
If the ballet dancer-turned-boxer and former US marine, who led the 2003 investigation into the looting of Baghdad's Iraq Museum which recovered more than 9,000 objects, was not already enough of a hero he cemented his reputation by refusing the prize money.
Instead, it will be divided between non-profit groups of his choice.
Bogdanos has form in this regard. He handed over all the royalties from his book about his time in Iraq, Thieves of Baghdad, to the museum.
His legal work at the DA's office is said to have led to the recovery of more than 6,100 antiquities valued at more than $480 million.