TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A member of a household who uncovered a ‘treasure trove’ of 101 cash from wrecks off Florida’s Treasure Coast is accused of promoting a number of stolen cash between 2023 and 2024.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Fee says it recovered 37 gold cash from the 1715 Fleet shipwrecks, marking a ‘main milestone in a long-standing investigation into the theft and unlawful trafficking of those priceless historic artifacts.’
The 1715 Fleet represents a set of Spanish treasure ships that sank throughout a hurricane off Florida’s coast in 1715. The artifacts recovered from these wrecks give a glimpse into historical past and are protected by state and federal legislation.
In keeping with the FWC, members of the Schmitt household have been working as salvage operators for 1715 Fleet – Queens Jewels, LLC after they uncovered 101 gold cash from wrecks off the coast of Florida.
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FWC officers stated whereas 51 of those cash have been reported accurately and adjudicated, 50 cash weren’t disclosed and have been subsequently stolen.
In June 2024, the FWC, working with the FBI, discovered proof linking Eric Schmitt, a member of the Schmitt household, to the unlawful sale of a number of stolen gold cash between 2023 and 2024.
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Whereas executing a number of search warrants, investigators discovered cash from non-public residences, protected deposit packing containers and auctions. They stated 5 stolen cash have been reclaimed from a Florida-based auctioneer, who unknowingly bought them from Eric Schmitt.
In keeping with FWC, superior digital forensics recognized metadata and geolocation information linking Eric Schmitt to {a photograph} of the stolen cash taken on the Schmitt household condominium in Fort Pierce.
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It was additionally found that Eric Schmitt took three of the stolen gold cash and positioned them on the ocean flooring in 2016 to be discovered by the brand new traders of 1715 Fleet – Queens Jewels, LLC, based on FWC.
The FWC says it labored intently with historic preservation consultants, together with Mel Fisher-Abt to authenticate and appraise the recovered artifacts, which will likely be returned to their rightful homeowners.
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“This case underscores the significance of safeguarding Florida’s wealthy cultural heritage and holding accountable those that search to revenue from its exploitation,” stated FWC Investigator Camille Soverel.
Cultural useful resource violations might be reported to the FWC by downloading the “FWC Wildlife Alert” app, texting 847411 (Tip411) with the key phrase “FWC” and details about the violation, calling the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (888-404-3922) or submitting a tip on-line at MyFWC.com/WildlifeAlert.
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