February 10, 2025

Athens News

News in English from Greece

Retired Special Agent Claims FBI Stole $41 Million in Civil War Treasure


A retired US intelligence agent turned crime novelist and podcaster claims the FBI allegedly stole $41 million worth of Civil War treasure.

“It's a conspiracy theory that keeps me up at night” said retired FBI Special Agent Stuart Fillmore. In 2018, treasure hunter Dennis Parada tipped off Civil War treasure to the FBI, claiming that found buried gold. However, when the FBI conducted an investigation, after a three-day search it stated that “nothing found.” In 2023, Parada said the FBI allegedly misrepresented key evidence and withheld records about the investigation. The FBI vigorously defended its handling of the case and the materials obtained in it.

A Civil War Treasure That Caused Controversy

The treasure, worth about $41 million in today's currency, was on its way to the Philadelphia Mint when it suddenly disappeared. Secret organization of the Confederacy “Knights of the Golden Circle” accused of stealing it and burying it to undermine union efforts. Indeed, US Army military documents claim that the missing treasure was intended to support “huge expenses of the union for waging war”.

Dennis Parada, who worked with the FBI during the three-day investigation to uncover the treasure, said he felt he had been duped. According to Fillmore, Parada and the FBI were looking for “some large mass in a place underground.” “We feel like we were double-crossed and lied to” Parada said in 2023.

Fillmore said the FBI used high-tech equipment to find the gold hidden underground, and he found it hard to believe they didn't find anything. According to APthe videos and footage released may indicate that the FBI may have mishandled the case.

“I don't understand why a site survey shows gold, a large mass underground, and then they find absolutely nothing,” Fillmore said on TikTok.

@texascrimetravelers We can't stop thinking about this one….We're interested to know your thoughts on this case! #fbi #conspiracy #crime #crimetok #civilwar #buriedtreasure ♬ Spooky, Quiet, Scary Atmosphere Piano – Bucyrus Audio

Parada claims to have found the treasure in 2018 using ground penetrating radar, which allowed him to see beneath the surface of the forest. He discovered a large mass that he suspected was a cache of gold.

Parada asked the FBI for help because Civil War treasure could be on government land. The FBI conducted tests and found a mass of about nine tons and a density similar to that of gold. More than 50 agents and construction equipment then arrived on site to excavate about 12 feet deep. According to the FBI, the search was unsuccessful, but Parada believes otherwise.

Ann Weissmann, Parada's lawyer, said Daily Mailthat keeping a log as part of a federal investigation was unusual. “From a forensics perspective, you would think they were using a time and date stamp,” Weissmann said. “In my opinion, this is a big omission.”





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