Matthew Bogdanos
Colonel Matthew Bogdanos is an Assistant District Attorney in Manhattan, author, and a colonel in the United States Marine Corps Reserves. In 2003, while on active duty in the Marine Corps, he led an investigation into the looting of Iraq's National Museum, and was subsequently awarded the National Humanities Medal for his efforts. He had previously gained national attention for the prosecution of Sean Combs, who was acquitted of weapons and bribery charges in a 2001 trial stemming from a 1999 nightclub shootout.
Education
Bogdanos attended Don Bosco Preparatory High School in New Jersey and later Bucknell University in Pennsylvania. He holds a bachelor's in classical studies from Bucknell and a degree in law from Columbia University Law School. He also has a master's degree in Classical Studies from Columbia University and another Master's in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College.Biography
Bogdanos is one of a set of twins born and raised in New York to a Greek father, Konstantine, and a French mother, Claire. He is one of four children. Growing up he waited tables in his parents' Greek restaurant, Deno's Place, in lower Manhattan.Bogdanos enlisted into the United States Marine Corps Reserve in January 1977, while still a freshman. In 1988 he resigned from active duty to join the Manhattan district attorney's office. Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, Bogdanos returned to full-time active duty.
Bogdanos has been involved in counter-narcotics action on the Mexico–United States border and was active during Operation Desert Storm and in South Korea, Lithuania, Guyana, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kosovo. In 2001 he was part of a law enforcement, counter-terrorism team to Afghanistan, where he was awarded a Bronze Star for actions against Al-Qaeda. In March 2003 he was promoted to colonel and deployed to Iraq as head of the team. During his stint in Iraq, the Iraq Museum in Baghdad was sacked and thousands of valuable antiquities were stolen. For over five years Bogdanos led a team to recover the artifacts. Up to 2006 approximately 10000 artifacts were recovered through his efforts. Antiquities recovered include the Warka Vase and The Mask of Warka. Bogdanos wrote a memoir, Thieves of Baghdad: One Marine's Passion for Ancient Civilizations and the Journey to Recover the World's Greatest Stolen Treasures, which he co-wrote with William Patrick. The book chronicles his efforts to recover the missing Iraqi artifacts. In November 2005, he was awarded a National Humanities Medal from President George W. Bush for his efforts to recover the artifacts. He has also received the 2004 Public Service Award from the Hellenic Lawyers of America, the 2006 Distinguished Leadership Award from the Washington DC Historical Society, and a 2007 Proclamation from the City of New York, among other awards. Deployed to Afghanistan in 2009 with NATO counter-insurgency forces, he was released back into the Marine Reserves in September 2010 and returned to the District Attorney’s Office.
Bogdanos is also a former middleweight boxer with a record of 23-3. He still boxes for the New York City Police Department’s Widows and Children’s Fund.
Personal life
Bogdanos has four children with his wife, Claudia Tuchman Bogdanos, a lawyer at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan.Awards and recognition
Military awards
| 1st Row | Defense Superior Service Medal w/ 1 oak leaf cluster | Bronze Star | ||
| 2nd Row | Defense Meritorious Service Medal | Meritorious Service Medal | Joint Service Commendation Medal | Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal |
| 3rd Row | Joint Service Achievement Medal | Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal | Joint Meritorious Unit Award w/ 3 oak leaf clusters | Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation w/ 1 service star |
| 4th Row | Selected Marine Corps Reserve Medal w/ 3 service stars | National Defense Service Medal w/ 1 service star | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal | Afghanistan Campaign Medal w/ 1 service star |
| 5th Row | Iraq Campaign Medal w/ 3 service stars | Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal |
| 6th Row | Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon w/ 2 service stars | Navy & Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon w/ 4 service stars | Marine Corps Recruiting Ribbon | Armed Forces Reserve Medal w/ 4 mobilizations |
Other awards
- Ellis Island Medal of Honor - May 2011
- Grand Marshal, Greek Independence Day Parade, New York City - 2010
- City of Philadelphia Proclamation - February 2009
- New York City Proclamation - April 2007
- Distinguished Leadership Award, Washington DC Historical Society - June 2006
- National Humanities Medal, from President George W. Bush, White House - November 2005
- Hellenic Lawyers Association Public Service Award - November 2004
Publications
- Thieves of Baghdad is his first-hand account of his journey to recover Iraq’s lost treasures. His royalties from the sale of the book go to the Iraq Museum.