Treasure hunter alleges FBI stole Civil War gold in secret operation

In 1863, a significant shipment of gold intended for the Philadelphia Mint vanished, believed to have been stolen by a Confederate group known as the Knights of the Golden Circle. This treasure was worth an estimated $41 million in today's dollars and was considered crucial for the Union’s war efforts. In 2018, treasure hunter Dennis Parada reported that he had located the potential site of the buried gold using ground penetrating radar. He sought assistance from the FBI, which subsequently conducted an investigation involving over 50 agents and sophisticated equipment. The FBI confirmed the presence of a sizeable mass underground consistent with the density of gold, prompting an excavation. However, after days of digging 12 feet deep, the FBI apparently found nothing and later provided incomplete records of their findings. Parada's son, Kem Parada, claimed that he was restricted from observing the dig, leading to suspicions of a cover-up. For years, the family and investigators have voiced concerns over the authenticity of the FBI's findings, believing that the absence of thorough documentation, alongside the FBI's covert operation during the investigation, indicates possible illicit possession of the treasure by the agency. The implications of this event raise troubling questions regarding government transparency and potential corruption, compelling Parada and others to seek further inquiry into the matter. The Parada family and their allies have maintained a firm belief that the truth about the missing gold is being actively suppressed, which continues to fuel the conspiracy theories surrounding this notorious case of lost treasure.