Show Notes
For part one of this special edition, Zaron interviews author Matthew Campbell about his book The Man Who Stole the Gods. The incredible tale documents a truly global art crime. Set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and Cambodian Civil War and the rise of the Khmer Rouge, this story explores the theft of statues and bas reliefs from religious sites like Angkor Wat and how through a shadowy network of looters, middlemen, auction houses, museums and art collectors the cultural inheritance of Cambodia becomes must-have items for the ultra-wealthy of the West. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
More from Ridiculous Crime
A poet named Ern, so they say/Wrote verses that dazzled one day/But Ern, it turned out, was a hoax, past a doubt/Cooked up by two dorks just for play! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Elmer McCurdy came of age at the end of the Old West, and as it vanished he tried to grab at that outlaw life while it was still a real thing. Trouble was, he was not good at being a bad man. In death, he became an avatar and totem of the fast disappearing Wild West. There he remained, until one day the story of an astronaut and test pilot freed him from his bizarre afterlife. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
There's a lot of money to be made in tourism, especially in culturally rich areas like Italy's Veneto region. So what's a philanthropist/entrepreneur/orchestra conductor to do? Build a fake ancient amphitheater, of course! The Italian government, though, doesn't take kindly to that kind of scamming. Sparisci, truffatore! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Last week, Elizabeth shared a story from the Gold Rush. And this week, Zaron brings us a story from the Yosemite Gold Rush. If you've never heard of it, that's when a bunch of dirtbag rock climbers who called Yosemite home learned about a downed pot smuggler's plane that was trapped in a frozen lake not far from the park. That whispered rumour led to a extravganza of amateur pot smuggling as the various climbers attempted to rescue the weed and bring it to market. Ah, the 1970s! It was such a simpler time... for pot smugglers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Marie Suize made her way from France to the foothills of California for the Gold Rush. One of just a few women up there mining for gold, she managed to make a fortune and gain the respect of her fellow prospectors. In an effort to be practical and comfortable, she started wearing pants. But that just wasn't done. Well, tell that to Marie. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.