Bryan Christy

Bryan Christy is an American author and investigative journalist. In 2017, Christy left National Geographic to focus on his first novel, In the Company of Killers which was published on April 13, 2021.

Early life Born on a U.S. Army base in Neubrücke, Germany, Christy grew up in Millville, New Jersey where he began his professional life as a mortician's apprentice working in his family's funeral home. Christy was a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Tokyo Law School.

Career After passing the CPA and bar exams, Christy practiced international trade law in Washington DC. He worked on topics such as US-Japan supercomputer trade, Norwegian whaling, and the sale of light-water nuclear reactors to North Korea. Christy left law to pursue a career as a journalist. His first investigation, Curse of the Double Eagle for Playboy, focused on the world's most valuable coin, a 1933 gold piece promoted by Sotheby's and its partner the US Mint as the only one in existence. In his article, Curse of the Double Eagle, Christy discovered a second coin and exposed the one-of-a-kind auction. The existence of more coins led to a U.S. Supreme Court case.

He spent three years researching reptile trafficking before publishing the non-fiction book The Lizard King: The True Crimes and Passions of the World's Greatest Reptile Smugglers and the National Geographic feature, The Kingpin, which contributed to the prosecution and imprisonment of Anson Wong, "the Pablo Escobar of wildlife trafficking" and the passage of new wildlife laws in Malaysia. While researching The Lizard King, Christy "was bitten between the eyes by a blood python, chased by a mother alligator, sprayed by a bird-eating tarantula, and ejaculated on by a Bengal tiger".

After the publication of The Lizard King, His 2012 National Geographic cover feature Blood Ivory: Ivory Worship following pressure over the use of illegal ivory in religious icons. The feature investigation was made into the 2013 National Geographic documentary Battle for the Elephants

In 2015, Christy completed an in-depth undercover operation Tracking Ivory Tracking Ivory was featured on the cover of National Geographic. In 2016, Christy produced the Emmy-nominated documentary, Warlords of Ivory

In 2017, Christy left National Geographic to focus on his first novel, In the Company of Killers, which released to the public on April 13, 2021. The book's main characters appear as featured subjects in "Monsters of God", alongside Christy himself.

"Monsters of God" had its world premiere at the 2026 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival on March 13, 2026, where it won the Audience Award in the TV Premiere section.

Directed by Eric Goode and co-produced with A24, the HBO series premieres on August 6, 2026.

Testimony before the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs In 2017, Christy testified before the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the United States House of Representatives during a hearing on U.S. interests in Africa. He shared his knowledge and experience in the region with regards to illegal wildlife trade and connections to transnational organized crime and terrorism. National Geographic Society President and CEO Gary E. Knell was quoted saying, “Given his sterling credentials and valuable reporting on Africa, we are proud that Mr. Christy was given the opportunity to speak before the Foreign Affairs Committee. He represents the best of what National Geographic Society has to offer, and we are pleased that the Committee considered his testimony as part of a serious commitment to enhancing the relationship between the United States and Africa." 2010: "Wildlife Smuggling: Why Does Wildlife Crime Reporting Suck?," The Huffington Post. 2012: "Blood Ivory: Ivory Worship," National Geographic. 2015: "Still Life," National Geographic. 2015: "Tracking Ivory," National Geographic. 2016: "Special Investigation: Inside the Deadly Rhino Horn Trade," National Geographic.

Film/Television

2009: "Undercover in a Reptile Slaughterhouse," Bryan Christy on Assignment. 2013: "Battle for the Elephants," National Geographic. 2013: "God's Ivory," Reportage by Getty Images. 2016: "Warlords of Ivory," National Geographic.

Appearances

2010: Interviewed on the "Diane Rehm Show" to discuss the ivory trade. 2012: Interviewed on PBS NewsHour to discuss Asia's illegal ivory trade. 2013: Interviewed on MSNBC's "Now with Alex Wagner" following publication of "Blood Ivory: Ivory Worship". 2013: Interviewed on CNN's "Amanpour" following screening of "Battle for the Elephants". 2015: Interviewed on NPR's "Fresh Air" with Terry Gross to discuss his work in "Tracking Ivory". 2015: Interviewed on BBC's "NewsDay" to discuss his work in "Tracking Ivory". 2015: Interviewed on RTL Netherlands "Late Night" to discuss his work surrounding Joseph Kony and the Ivory trade. 2015: Interviewed on ABC News' "Nightline" to discuss his work in "Tracking Ivory". 2016: Guest on "The Daily Show with Trevor Noah". 2016: Interviewed on NPR's "Fresh Air" with Terry Gross to discuss the illegal rhino horn trade.

Awards

2013 Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival, Best Conservation Film "Battle for the Elephants" 2014 National Geographic Rolex Explorer of the Year 2016 Wildscreen Panda Award, Best Presenter "Warlords of Ivory"