FBI agents stormed a Waldron, Ind. home on Tuesday and confiscated a treasure trove of artifacts from all over the world.
The homeowner, Donald C. Miller, 91, hasn't been arrested or charged as investigators pore over thousands of items. It's unclear whether he'll be charged, but agents said he "knowingly and unknowingly collecting objects in violation of several treaties and federal and state statutes," according to CBS News.
"We know that some of the items were acquired improperly," Special Agent in Charge Robert Jones said. "The exact number of artifacts in the collection is unknown at this time but it's believed to be in the thousands. "The monetary value of the entire collection and of its individual pieces is yet to be determined however the cultural value of these artifacts is immeasurable."
Jones did not go into any specifics about the pieces that were confiscated.
The Indianapolis Star reports the items include several pieces of Native American art, as well as works from China, Russia, Peru, Haiti, Australia and New Guinea, according to Jones.
Investigators are now working to determine how Jones collected each piece and in which instances he may have done so illegally.
His collection took eight decades to amass, and Miller has quite a history.
The Greensburg Daily News reports that, in 1945, Miller was part of a team that helped to develop the atomic bomb.
The homeowner, Donald C. Miller, 91, hasn't been arrested or charged as investigators pore over thousands of items. It's unclear whether he'll be charged, but agents said he "knowingly and unknowingly collecting objects in violation of several treaties and federal and state statutes," according to CBS News.
"We know that some of the items were acquired improperly," Special Agent in Charge Robert Jones said. "The exact number of artifacts in the collection is unknown at this time but it's believed to be in the thousands. "The monetary value of the entire collection and of its individual pieces is yet to be determined however the cultural value of these artifacts is immeasurable."
Jones did not go into any specifics about the pieces that were confiscated.
The Indianapolis Star reports the items include several pieces of Native American art, as well as works from China, Russia, Peru, Haiti, Australia and New Guinea, according to Jones.
Investigators are now working to determine how Jones collected each piece and in which instances he may have done so illegally.
His collection took eight decades to amass, and Miller has quite a history.
The Greensburg Daily News reports that, in 1945, Miller was part of a team that helped to develop the atomic bomb.
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