Court records from the District Court of Columbia or appellate court announcements

U.S. Court Orders Repatriation of 380 kg Esmeralda Bahia Valued at US$ 1 Billion to Brazil

Nov 22, 2024, 09:38 PM

A U.S. court has ruled in favor of Brazil's request to repatriate the Esmeralda Bahia, a 380 kg emerald discovered in Bahia, Brazil, which is considered the largest in the world. The emerald, valued at up to US$ 1 billion or R$ 6 billion, was illegally extracted and smuggled out of Brazil in 2005 with the help of falsified documents. Judge Reggie Walton of the District Court of Columbia agreed with Brazilian authorities that the gemstone was removed from the country unlawfully.