About us
The Achilles Research Group is a collaborative, non-profit research organization dedicated to shining a light on the dark corners of the global art market. We act as a frontline defense for human memory by exposing and combating the illicit antiquities trade and cultural heritage crimes.
Our Mission Our mission is to protect human history from looting and exploitation. We believe that fighting art crime and heritage trafficking cannot rely on passing anecdotes; it requires hard evidence and accurate data. Therefore, we deliver fact-based, investigative research to expose the criminal networks trading in our past.
Our Approach From open digital markets to complex smuggling routes, we trace the path of plundered history. Our team brings together archaeologists, researchers, and investigative journalists to utilize the latest data analysis techniques. We document how the illicit antiquities trade intersects with organized crime and terrorism financing, particularly in conflict zones.
Our Initiatives We lead pioneering projects designed to create real impact, most notably:
- The ATHAR Project: A groundbreaking investigative initiative that tracks and documents the illicit antiquities trade across social media and digital platforms.
- MOLA (Museum of Looted Antiquities): An interactive platform and database documenting looted artifacts that have been recovered worldwide, ensuring their origins and journeys are never forgotten.
Services
Achilles Research Group has decades of experience investigating and advising on risk in the art market. We offer the following consulting services to help clients navigate those risks:
OSINT Investigations
We specialize in deep-dive, open-source fact finding inquiries that provide our clients with a comprehensive understanding of the facts they need to make good decisions.
Field Investigations
With a network of trusted consultants around the globe, we offer on the ground cultural heritage investigations to find answers where the public records trail stops. We specialize in the Middle East, Asia and Latin America.
Data Analysis and Licensing
We conduct bespoke data analysis for clients seeking insights from our proprietary datasets, which include Athar (online trafficking networks), MOLA (antiquities trafficking database) and our digital trafficking library. We also have data licensing agreements for groups looking to incorporate our data in their own projects.
Due Diligence and Risk Analysis
Achilles is setting a new standard for art market due diligence for ethical collectors and institutions. Our review process includes rigorous provenance research, document review, analysis of title risks, proactive outreach to potential claimants, discrete interviews and checks against our proprietary red flag intelligence database.
Anti-Money Laundering and Know Your Customer
With increasing scrutiny of money laundering in the art market, it has never been more important to know your customer. We apply industry leading standards for AML-KYC due diligence for art market transactions.
Expert Witness
We have acted as consulting experts and expert witnesses on art market litigation, providing detailed, data driven analysis of key risks.
Repatriation Advisory
We advise individuals and institutions on when and how to engage in ethical repatriations that preserve access to cultural heritage and manage reputational risks.
Training
We conduct training seminars to empower institutions and local communities to build their capacity on cultural heritage protection, due diligence investigations and anti-trafficking measures.
Research Partnerships
We collaborate with academics and nonprofit groups on research projects by providing access to our unique datasets at below market rates.
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Meet Our Dedicated Team Members
Jason Felch
Jason Felch is an author and investigator who has studied the black market for looted antiquities over two decades.He began as an investigative reporter at the Los Angeles Times.His writing on the role of the Getty and other American museums in the illicit antiquities trade was a finalist for the 2006 Pulitzer Prize in Investigative Reporting.In 2011, he co-authored Chasing Aphrodite: The Hunt for Looted Antiquities at the World’s Richest Museum. He continues writing about this trade at ChasingAphrodite.com. Since 2014, he has led a consulting firm conducting open-source investigations for law firms, companies and NGOs.
Katie A. Paul
Katie A. Paul is an anthropologist and investigative researcher directing the Tech Transparency Project, tracking extremism, disinformation, and crime on platforms like Facebook.She co-founded and co-directs the Antiquities Trafficking and Heritage Anthropology Research Project.As a founding member of the Alliance to Counter Crime Online, she investigates trafficking, terror finance, and organized crime on Big Tech platforms.Previously, she was chief of staff and a research fellow at the Antiquities Coalition in Washington, combating cultural racketeering.Paul holds a BA in Anthropology and Ancient Greek from Miami University, and an M.A. in Anthropology from The George Washington University.
AMR AL-AZM
Amr Al Azm earned his 1991 doctorate from the Institute of Archaeology at UCL.He founded and directed the Scientific and Conservation Laboratories at the General Department of Antiquities and Museums from 1999 to 2004, teaching at Damascus University until 2006.Currently, he is a tenured Professor of Middle East History and Anthropology at Shawnee State University, and teaches at Qatar University and Georgetown University-Qatar.A renowned commentator on Syrian and Middle Eastern affairs, he writes for major outlets like the New York Times and Time Magazine.Furthermore, he co-founded The Day After project and co-directs the ATHAR Project.
Meaning Behind Name Achilles
The name Achilles reflects the core mission of the organization: identifying and examining the hidden vulnerabilities within the global art and antiquities market. Just as Achilles’ legendary heel represented a critical point of weakness, Achilles Research Group focuses on uncovering systemic gaps that enable illicit trade, trafficking, and exploitation of cultural heritage.
Through rigorous research and data-driven analysis, the organization aims to expose these weaknesses and support efforts to strengthen transparency, accountability, and protection of cultural property worldwide.