A massive emerald that was smuggled into the United States over two decades ago will soon be back on its way to its homeland, according to a recent ruling made by a U.S. judge.
The gem, which weighs more than 840 pounds, is known as the Bahia Emerald, having been mined in Bahia, Brazil in 2001. The emerald has been called "cursed" due to the lengthy legal proceedings surrounding it.
After being stolen in 2001, several actors claimed to possess ownership of the gem, prompting countless court cases over the past two decades. The Department of Justice (DOJ) requested a restraining order to protect the gem, which was in the custody of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office, in 2015. The Brazilian government has sought custody since.
On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton ruled that the gem must be returned to Brazil. In a court document obtained by Fox News Digital, Walton wrote that those arguing against the Brazilian government had "insufficient [evidence] to prohibit the return of the Emerald to Brazil."
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"Upon careful consideration of the parties’ submissions, the Court concludes for the following reasons that it must vacate the stay [for the gem to remain in the U.S.] currently imposed in this case and grant the government’s application," Walton ruled.
In a statement, the white-shoe law firm Mayer Brown called the decision a "victory" and explained its efforts in bringing the gem home.
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"After the Brazilians who participated in the Emerald’s illegal export exhausted their appellate rights, Mayer Brown worked with Brazil to develop a request under the mutual legal assistance treaty (MLAT) between the United States and Brazil to enforce the Brazilian forfeiture order," the firm explained.
"In April 2022, the DOJ filed a motion with the US District Court for the District of Columbia under the MLAT, asking the court to order the Emerald’s forfeiture."
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"This week, in a major win for the country of Brazil, Judge Walton of the US District Court for the District of Columbia issued a final ruling on the DOJ's motion to forfeit the gem to Brazil—ending the lengthy court battle and setting the stage for the Bahia Emerald to be repatriated back to Brazil," the firm concluded.
