Posted on 04/04/2014 11:05:00 AM PDT by GrandJediMasterYoda
Thousands Of Artifacts Seized At 91-Year-Old Indiana Man's Home
Federal agents, art experts and museum curators descended on the home of a 91-year-old man in central Indiana on Wednesday to take control of a huge collection of artifacts from Native American, Russian, Chinese and other cultures.
FBI Special Agent Robert Jones told reporters that the collection's cultural value "is immeasurable," reports RTV6 The Indy Channel.
(Excerpt) Read more at npr.org ...
At least we know one federal agency isn’t running short of money.
The guy is likely to die before he sees his collection again.
OK, a little further research suggests that the 91-year-old “perp” may be harboring some Indian artifacts/bones. They are pretty much on the warpath about getting their ancestors’ stuff back from collectors and even museums. Even if the items were purchased legally, the Indians believe they still belong to them. The FBI “Art Crimes Unit” is examining everything
http://wishtv.com/2014/04/02/fbi-surrounds-home-in-rush-county/
AND a great video here shows part of collections: http://wishtv.com/2014/04/02/home-video-shows-artifacts-in-rush-county-home/
“Over the last several months, an FBI investigation has determined that Mr. Miller may have knowingly and unknowingly collected artifacts, relics and objects of cultural patrimony in violation of several treaties federal and state statutes,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Jones….some statutes and laws put into place in the last several decades may not have been in effect when Miller collected some of the items.”
Explained in post 22 here. Don't need evidence, apparently when it's Indian tribal stuff they are after. Running casinos has apparently given Indians enough money and political clout to push the gubmint around, at least during Big Chief Obama's reign.
This article here: FBI working with artifact collector to return items says the 91-year old contacted the FBI --- "Northern said Miller had contacted the FBI about returning the items, but couldn't elaborate on why Miller was looking to repatriate the artifacts now."
Here's my own semi-educated guess, for what it's worth: I'll speculate that when he collected these, they were all legal transactions, as far as he knew.
But since that time, Political Correctness has mandated that all things Indian have been "stolen" by the evil White Man. Which is why Native American artifact collections have become illegal and must be "repatriated" immediately to the government or a museum or whatever, and all sports team names (eg Redskins) that have been stolen from them must be immediately returned, etc etc etc.
So my first guess is that over recent years he has watched, horrified, in the news how his decades of loving labor have changed from being his pride and joy in a lifelong accomplishment, to instead being an ex post facto shameful, evil life of crime (or at least in the eyes of our cultural masters).
Also, another speculation: I'm wondering if he saw an internet article or TV documentary on items that were stolen decades ago from other private collectors, recognizes many of them as ones he bought from someone posing as the legal owner, and so just now realizes that he was the unwitting "fence" for those stolen goods a half century or so ago.
Wow!
If the Fed’s want your stuff, they will take it.
They are even bold about it.
An accident the guy was 91 and could not fight back?
I think not.
Your wallet...
My wallet...
The 91 year old man’s wallet...
etc...
Kickstarter.com should get into lawsuit projects and kick big gov in the face a few times. I’d donate money for this old man to hire a team of lawyers to go after the government. If they get millions in a settlement they could re-pay the kickstarter “investors”. If not, just the pleasure of disrupting the lives of these jackboots is worth it. This is an illegal fishing expedition. They have way too much time on their hands and are picking on an old man like bullies. A good lawyer could make these jackboots wish they were never born.
Unlikely. Fermi was born in 1901 in Rome, which would have made him about 21 years older than the man with the collection.
This story is pretty sickening. They are saying it will take decades to sort out, which means he'll be long dead before they decide whether to give any of it back.
Yeah, let’s forget about the rapists and murderers who wander around freely. Let’s instead attack elderly men and his insidious collection of stones.
Is determining cultural value of anything the purview of the FBI?
Shouldn't the fact that a crime has been committed precede any such question?
The most baffling question, as yet unanswered is that the "authorities" seem totally uninclined to describe the nature of the artifacts listed. Any of them.
Curiouser and curiouser.
The reason for collecting is to enjoy the collection and watch it appreciate in value
This stinks to high heaven. The man must have spit on Obama or Michelle
Count me in.
Manhattan Project. Develop communication for the Soviet MIR Space Station. Lots yet to come out. Artifacts may be the cover, but Don Miller and his background is certainly the focus.
A little government looting. I wonder how many pieces will disappear and not be cataloged.
It’ll be easyto tell.
Compare the owner’s catalogue and photos with that made by the FBI
They’ll seize the artifacts and tax the relatives for their worth.
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