Overview

• The Bahia Emerald, weighing 836 pounds and valued at up to $1 billion, is considered one of the largest emeralds ever discovered.
• The gemstone was illegally mined in Brazil in 2001 and smuggled into the United States, where it became the subject of ownership disputes and criminal investigations.
• A US District Judge ruled that the emerald must be returned to Brazil, enforcing a Brazilian court's forfeiture order under a legal cooperation treaty between the two nations.
• The emerald's history includes rumors of criminal ties, survival through Hurricane Katrina, and being held in Los Angeles Sheriff's Department custody for over 15 years.
• Brazil plans to display the emerald as a national treasure, marking the end of a 23-year-long legal and diplomatic battle.