FBI raid

Jeremy S

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What was the after math of this original story? Did this fellow get to keep most of his collection?

I have wondered if the FBI wasn't looking for something more that wasn't mentioned in the news articles.
 

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cudamark

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I haven't heard anything new either. With so many scandals in this administration, it probably got forgotten in the shuffle....not that the media would bring it up if it made the president look bad.
 

diggummup

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I've been checking for updates regularly on this. There are none and I doubt there ever will be. Reason, because there is no story to follow up on. Much ado about nothing, you know how the media is. They are almost as bad as lawyers and IRS agents.. The guy acquired all of his collection legally, period.
 

piegrande

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I have my own "shut up and keep working" story.

I live in a small mountain village somewhere in Mexico. This is the village which believes the treasure of Mocetzuma is buried here. That is part of local oral tradition. And after thirty years of study, I agree. I have so written in detail on the Aztec treasure thread. Not that I 'know' the treasure is here. It's that consistent and logical evidence indicates that it 'must' be here.

A few years ago, my builder and his son were working on a man's property, making a building. One day they encountered 6 skeletons laying side by side and next to them, 6 ceremonial cups. To put this into perspective, the local church records for baptisms; marriages; and deaths start in 1620. After that date all burials would have been on sacred ground.

When they showed the owner, he told them, "Everyone go home and come back in the morning." They did, and the next morning, all the bones and cups were gone, and digging and building continued.

I really felt sick when I heard the story. But, they were right. The Mexican government is capable of confiscating it all including the property and existing house. Sad.
 

doc-d

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I am aware of something similar…….while digging in a mine, a huge dinosaur skeleton was found in a SA country and they blew it up to avoid the gov coming in and taking it over…….can't say as I blame them either.
 

Treasure_Hunter

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please keep politics out of thread...
 

George (MN)

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Professional archaeologists think digging up Indian graves is cool. Hobbyists aren't looking for human bones, just coins, jewelry & relics.
 

Tnmountains

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We put Fed Ex centers over ancient burial sites here. Nothing new to be found. They also dredged off banks off of protected archeological sites and put it into barges . You could see the bones and skulls falling out in the bank. The put rip raff on it and the barge of material disappeared . Of course we do everything for tourism here. (See Rock City). Two sets of rules in life.
 

Jeremy S

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We put Fed Ex centers over ancient burial sites here. Nothing new to be found. They also dredged off banks off of protected archeological sites and put it into barges . You could see the bones and skulls falling out in the bank. The put rip raff on it and the barge of material disappeared . Of course we do everything for tourism here. (See Rock City). Two sets of rules in life.

When they were building the latest casino near where I live on the river they unearthed Indian remains. It briefly made the news and then everything was quiet about it. Construction on the casino and the adjoining hotel were not halted in any way.

If a common folk like any of us had unearthed those remains, I bet the outcome would not have been as "quiet".

Here is some of the aftermath of the story of Don Miller: http://indianapublicmedia.org/news/grover-museum-exhibit-upended-fbi-investigation-69339/

It looks like the FBI was mainly concerned about artifacts from other countries where treaties may have been in violation?



Grover Museum director Candace Miller says the museum was in contact with Donald Miller prior to the investigation and initially wanted to do an all-inclusive exhibit of artifacts from around the world. After the FBI visit, they decided to limit the display to native Indiana artifacts.

At least he was able to keep much of his collection and is still willing to loan it to museums to be put on display.

The media really blew this story out of proportion. "FBI raided", "seized", "hoard of artifacts".
 

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diverrick

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So when I was a kid our whole class used to go every year on a field trip to look for Indian artifacts. We always found beads and such. It was legal then. No one even blinked an eye at that.
So is that no illegal to hold these items that were legally taken back then?
 

diggummup

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I find this statement a little concerning... the FBI took various ceremonial and burial items Miller obtained prior to World War II. Because of treaties signed after the war, the FBI came to repatriate the items to their countries of origin.

Whatever treaties were signed after the war had nothing to do with what he had legally obtained before the war, in my opinion.
 

Jeremy S

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Kind of old news, but Don Miller passed away this past May.

Indiana's controversial collector, Don Miller, dies

But a legal expert told The Star it could take years, if not decades, before experts can sort out the legalities of the thousands of objects seized by the government.

Looks like his collection will be tied up in bureaucracy for a long, long time.
 

jeff of pa

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Nitric

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Probably the FBI's fault he Died.

His Nerves & particularly his Will to live, was Probably at an end thanks to the Feds :(
& those that insisted on destroying his reason for being :(

I agree! It was obviously a life long passion. Then to have all that happen and have to fight for what you worked for your whole life, probably takes a toll on a person.
 

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Originally Posted by jeff of pa View Post
Probably the FBI's fault he Died.

His Nerves & particularly his Will to live, was Probably at an end thanks to the Feds
& those that insisted on destroying his reason for being


I agree! It was obviously a life long passion. Then to have all that happen and have to fight for what you worked for your whole life, probably takes a toll on a person.

Bingo.Taking Somebodies passion,a passion that makes them want to go on,is a sure way to kill off an old man.Then you get to thank the take-e again after he takes all a man ever really has,his life.
 

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Maybe the FBI (fumbling bunch of idiots) should stick to creating and fabricating terrorist plots,theyre much better at it until they get caught.:laughing9:
 

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cudamark

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Probably the FBI's fault he Died.

His Nerves & particularly his Will to live, was Probably at an end thanks to the Feds :(
& those that insisted on destroying his reason for being :(
I'm sure the FBI didn't help his health any, but, then again he was 91 years old. RIP Don.
 

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