To the good people of the Dallas art community,

I wish I could introduce myself—and the Art Legacy Institute (ALI)—to you in person. If you’re reading this, Randy’s presentation on the Clementine Hunter investigation has impressed upon you the importance of fighting art fraud. If you are considering whether to support our nonprofit’s mission, I hope this letter provides insight into why we care so deeply about this work, and why your support will be in good hands.

My name is Ronnie Walker, and in December 2024, I retired after 28 years with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Many agents retire after 20 years—but I stayed because I loved my job. In 2004, I was honored to be part of the first group of agents to form the FBI’s Art Crime Team (ACT), a groundbreaking unit dedicated to investigating art theft and fraud.

My primary role was undercover, working directly with criminals to stop the trafficking of stolen and fraudulent art. That work opened my eyes to how vulnerable the art world really is—and how often artists and their families suffer in silence as their legacies are distorted or erased by fraudsters.

Though I’m no longer carrying a badge, I’ve never been more committed to protecting art and the people behind it. That’s why I co-founded the Art Legacy Institute (ALI), alongside two fellow former ACT agents and trusted colleagues: Dave Bass and Elizabeth Rivas.

Dave and I were among the original agents on the ACT. While I brought undercover experience, Dave brought deep knowledge of the art market—as a longtime collector, artist, and gallery owner. There was no one else in the FBI with his level of expertise. I met Liz during a high-risk undercover operation in 2010. She quickly became one of the most accomplished agents on the team. With her background in accounting and audit, Liz brings integrity, precision, and oversight to everything we do.

We are excited about what we are building but we can’t do it alone. We are currently at about 40% of our year one capital funding goal. Your donation directly fuels the fight against forgeries, the defense of living artists, and the preservation of truth in the art world. Join us in this important mission—because every artist deserves to own their story.

Below there is a link to a page where I’ll share more about the art market, its darker corners and how ALI aims to shine a light on them. If data and stats aren’t your thing, feel free to stop here. But know this: our mission is personal, and we are committed to using our unique skills to protect artists and preserve legacies. 

If you’d like to talk further, I’d be honored to connect and provide you a detailed review of our funding progress and goals. You can reach me anytime at ronnie@artlegacyinstitute.org.