In one 1999 case hundreds of men signed an affidavit attesting to the fact that they had worked on a so-called restoration project that had covertly performed massive digging operations to recover thousands of metric tonnes of gold, not to mention precious gemstones. What did Roger say? I was further astounded by the conversation that continued off camera. She shared how he had been stressed and run down in the time leading up to the trial. Nearby, in a man-made chamber measuring ten feet by thirty feet, Roxas found more gold, this time packed into hundreds of small wooden boxes. Might the answer be gold; trillions of dollars worth of gold bullion? Cheatham later testified in the Supreme Court trial. To this day, the gold miners have not been found.[6]. The incident became known as the Golden Buddha Affair. In another dream, Amelia said she had been contacted by Roger Roxas, who told her that Marcoss real body remained in Hawaii, where he was living after his exile from the Philippines. In 2015, IBM UK had their annual kick-off meeting in Los Angeles, and so I took the opportunity to visit Amelia. Andrew Gough. Ken Cheatham with Roger Roxas and the golden buddha. McDougald was reluctant to discuss details of the groups actual mining methods, but he stayed in character when describing what he expects to find at the end of the tunnel. Andrew Gough. Are the Philippines the wealthiest nation on earth? At midnight, General Yamashita and the princes slipped out, and dynamite charges were set off in the access tunnels, entombing the engineers. Bruce and I had been discussing the subject for years and wanted to feature Klaus and his quest. Reluctantly, I selected a cobra, which was promptly placed in a barrel-shaped mesh cage. Later that day I drove to Klauss village. The site has been targeted by treasure hunters in the past, but nobody is patient enough to see it through. General MacArthur returns to the Philippines, General MacArthur inspecting the looted gold. While he kept an active presence on the speaker circuit, he flat-out refused to appear in the usual history/mystery TV shows, claiming that they were not serious enough. I had retreated to a solitary place inside my head where I was contemplating the whole astonishing quest when I heard Klaus attempting to get my attention. He explained how a team had successfully excavated a large portion of the site before a typhoon and resulting mud slide had buried years of excavation work. Honolulu: Supreme Court of Hawaii, 1988. Let us email you a link to each week's new episode. In hindsight, Roxas had been aware of the implications of this clandestine relationship, but had had no choice in the matter. In August I flew to Manila and was greeted by a group of treasure hunters, including ex-military men, who transported me to a site to the north east. We added each other on Skype and began a custom of speaking most days. Cathcart replied without hesitation, as though it were yesterday, and proceeded to list several witnesses who had, in fact, collaborated Roxass story: Ken Cheatham: an American GI who was stationed at Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines in the 1970s. Although Roxas presented no evidence whatsoever other than personal testimony from many of his associates all of whom had banded together as the "Golden Buddha Corporation" which existed only to pursue this lawsuit they somehow managed to win the case, and were awarded over 40 billion dollars. Klaus extended his elbows and fixed his clenched fists against his chest. Net Worth: $1 Million Occupation: Treasure Hunter, TV Celebrity & Former Police Officer Birthday: January 6, 1941 Birthplace: Summerland Key, Florida Birth Sign: Capricorn Date of Death: February 19, 2018 Place of Death: Iraan, Texas Nationality: American Ethnicity: Caucasian Married: Twice Children: Darrell, Lauren, Kim, and Kelly Instagram: NA If you like this programming, please become a member. Roxas never saw a penny. The sheriffs department brought in a search-and-rescue team with dogs. For a short time Roxas went into hiding near Manila and was provided with bodyguards and a place to live. He simply slit her open with his fingers. About a month after my return I opened WhatsApp on my iPhone and discovered a message from Roger Roxass daughter, whom I had visited in the States a few years earlier, but who I had not spoken with for some time. International Precious Metals has a year-long permit to hunt for treasure, estimated to be as much as $200 billion in gold that the Japanese looted from the country. The Seagraves seminal whistle-blowing book, Gold Warriors. Slowly putting his ruined life back together, he moved from Reno to Las Vegas . Nor, to be honest, did I. See Photos. Cathcart proceeded to tell me in his gentle manner how forthright and convincing Roxas was, and what a surprising amount of evidence there was to support his claims. It was apparent to Roxas that Judge Pio Marcos was the informer, not the mastermind behind the siege, for his nephew, President Marcos, had long sought confirmation of the existence of Japanese treasure hoards in the Philippines. The Japanese strategy was two-fold: strip the East of their cultural identity, while returning priceless treasures back to Japan to fund their military, political and economic world dominance for the next thousand years. Treasure comes in two forms: Treasure Maps Unique Gold Bars In order to find a treasure, the player must obtain a Treasure Map, decipher it, and travel to the location depicted. "Searching for the lost treasure of Yamashita." We exchanged emails, became friends, and made plans to meet at his home outside Carcassonne, France. In 1949, a 70-year-old man named James Kidd was a professional treasure hunter from Phoenix, Arizona. Unfortunately, there had also been a cholera outbreak in New York City from the drinking water at that time. He failed Andrew Gough. My interest in the story had been rejuvenated, albeit under the most peculiar of circumstances. 0000005867 00000 n Cathcart recounted how he read the GBCs plea for legal assistance with incredulity. McDougald, C. Asian Loot: Unearthing the Secrets of Marcos, Yamashita and the Gold. For weeks, nearly a dozen members of Aquinos elite presidential security guard cordoned off the entire fort to keep the treasure hunt a secret and to ensure that the government receives its rightful 75% cut of anything McDougalds group finds. Lansdale could not believe his luck and promptly informed US General Douglas MacArthur, who returned to the Philippines to inspect the extraordinary discovery for himself. After looking for five days, they found no trace of Dametz and the case was closed. Perhaps he believed that other men had died from lack of survival training and that his skills at living outdoors would be enough to find the gold mines and make him a rich man. The treasure vaults that Major Kojima had shown Santy were not only the tip of the iceberg in terms of what the Japanese had hidden in the Philippines, they also represented a relatively small portion of the overall war booty that had yet to reach Japan. 0000002983 00000 n Descending into another of Klauss amazing tunnel systems More of that, he encouraged. The intense publicity, he said, attracts curiosity seekers, it attracts other treasure hunters, and quite frankly we dont have the time to spare.. A rare photograph of Roxas in the Baguio tunnel system. Andrew Gough. He said, until recent times a large metal stake had been secured by the Japanese in a nearby tree that pointed to the spot. The wife and daughter of Roger Roxas Roxas was convinced there was treasure buried around the Baguio Hospital, but was unsure exactly where to look. It was bucketing down. Back in Tokyo, the healer worked on the Princes daughter, who was suffering with a brain tumour. The elderly woman recalled the Japanese hauling a box towards one of Klauss treasure sites How exciting is that?, Klaus posing with a Japanese treasure symbol, a heart, which he found in a backfilled treasure tunnel Regarding the Black Eagle Trust Fund, evidence also fails to show that any such program existed with that name but I'm not pointing a finger at anyone for making it up out of nothing. Torn Treasure Map 2: Top right side of the map, inside a drawer of the house called "Manito Glade". I protested and attempted to leave a second time, but was restrained. Klaus and I posing with the priest and the artefacts he discovered at a shallow depth in the ground Now they moved with a kinetic energy I had never experienced before. This was a game changer. Marcoss men took Roxas back to Baguio and photographed him with the bogus buddha. The year was 1976. He left Colorado in search of the lost gold mine in the Superstition Mountains of Arizona. 0000003549 00000 n In the process I sought to confirm that Japanese treasure hoards in the Philippines were not only real, they were about to be unveiled in all their glory. Filed under Conspiracy Theories, History & Pseudohistory, Urban Legends, Skeptoid Podcast I had forgotten about the legend of Japanese treasure buried in the Philippines, save for the occasional outreach of Filipinos who had seen The Truth About Yamashitas Gold and were looking to secure funding for their own excavations, when I was contacted by a very curious woman from Los Angeles. Of course, everyone acts oblivious and says there is no such landmark in the area. After working on my prostate, the healer opened up my liver, heart and spine in the same manner with only his hands. Klaus confided that he was working on four different sites and shared the many clues and symbols that he had discovered in each. On our last day of filming we set off for Manila, and with a strong dose of persuasion the director agreed to stop along the way to visit a treasure-hunting priest whom Klaus had arranged for us to meet. Andrew Gough. Andrew Gough, Henrys father with the famous detachable buddha head photo I say successful, because I was not bitten by one of the many cobras lurking in the rice paddies along the way and was only partially bitten to death by hordes of mosquitos the size of hummingbirds. The Japanese, in particular, were notorious for this. The director simply said, whenever you are ready, and he proceeded to speak uninterrupted for over an hour. Over the years Roxas became convinced that Yamashita had buried a great treasure in Baguio, and his stature as president of the Philippine Treasure Hunters Association attracted many acquaintances who would confirm his hunch. His father was a well-known frontier doctor and surgeon in Burma, himself the son of third-generation missionaries in Burma. It has budgeted another $60,000 for the project and has an additional $300,000 to spend if needed. No autopsy was performed, despite Cathcarts request, and the official cause of death was ruled as tuberculosis. As I prepped for my studio interview, I found myself captivated by Roxass quest. The Supreme Court ruled that Roxas had recovered a plundered Japanese buddha, and that it was solid gold, and that on multiple occasions Marcos sold large quantities of gold on the black market. They picked the fort, he said, because it was a high-security location, off-limits to all but military torturers and the unfortunate Filipino prisoners destined for death. Scientists competed in their attempt to somehow prove that a soul left the body at the time of death. Web. The caretaker had lost fingers and toes from chemicals released in the treasure site Torturing surrendered military leaders was a war crime, but those of minor rank were considered fair game. Andrew Gough, I informed the site manager that he was digging on the spot where Roger Roxas had made the most famous discovery in the history of Yamashitas gold, to which he curtly replied, Yes, I know. Rights and reuse information. He had a copper mining company and also staked a claim on plots of land that he used to mine gold. Los Angeles Times Communications LLC, 6 Mar. They have a tendency to overreach, exaggerating the roles of Japanese gangsters and ex-military American bit-players when the bankers, politicians and CIA operatives are scary enough. Rather, Klaus and others embark on a more laborious, albeit secure and spiritually attuned, process using a hammer and chisel, while observing the symbols that the Shinto priests had left behind, and heeding the vital guidance that they provide. It seems Burgess was so impressed with the man-made-tunnel footage that he had changed his mind and was open to the possibility that Klaus was close to a discovery. 26 Apr. It was, and the Roxas brothers are said to have extracted three handfuls of assorted precious stones and diamonds, which they promptly hid before reattaching the golden buddhas head. As a result, I was frequently contacted by Filipinos who believed they had located lost Japanese treasure hoards and were seeking both expertise and financial assistance in support of their proposed excavations. The driver proceeded to peer out of the passenger-side window, as if he was trying to confirm their identity. After about two hours of digging, McSherry walked over to Dametz to let him know that it was time to drive home. Once again, the best conversation was off camera. He had a PhD in theology and had his work presented in multiple Christian publications, including a terrifying pamphlet that claimed that the Antichrist was coming. Its akin to what was found in Egypt in the pyramids. I was told of bus loads of cancer patients who arrived with hope and left with their cancer extracted and physically placed in their hands. Cheatham was obsessed with legends of Yamashitas gold and frequently visited Baguio in search of Japanese artefacts. Marcos was overthrown in February, 1986, and Mr. Curtis began making overtures to the new government soon after, McDougald said last week, adding that he got involved in Curtis new venture while researching a book he plans to write on hidden wealth in the Philippines. I replied, Well, keep digging. Further disappointment ensued when Bruce was no longer able to travel to the Philippines to direct the episode. Show that to your doctor back home, the healer would tell them. In my mind I visualised a hole running straight through my body and out the other side. Could he have harnessed the legendary viral energy that I had read so much about? Marcos quickly confiscated the booty. But then again, Klaus is five feet five inches tall and I am a foot taller, I defensively mused in my head. They were buried alive. I returned to England and became engulfed by life and my time-consuming corporate job. This is how wide you can dig. Despite his altruistic intentions (ie not wanting to risk more of the team getting injured than was necessary), this approach would prove fatal, as he did not do a very good job, and Klaus would have to reshoot the tunnel footage himself, weeks later, and with far inferior equipment. That evening Klauss team brought some incense, that had been burned by the Shinto priests as they sealed the chambers, that they had found deep in the tunnels that week, and we burned it. Our conversation prompted me to reach out to Roxass wife and daughter. Reward: Otis Miller's Revolver & 5 x Erotic Photograph. Before long they gained access to the tunnel system, including tracks, rails and side tunnels. The moss-covered marker stone that could be a topographical map of the treasure sites in the region The State of Colorado agreed to reopen the investigation into Dametzs disappearance.[3]. It does not need to be any wider, Klaus added authoritatively. 0000010608 00000 n Many of them had pointed out that the Japanese knew they had little hope of holding the Philippines very long, and it would have been the last place they'd have sent history's biggest treasure. But how? Twenty percent of the men who moved to California during the Gold Rush died from diseases like cholera within six months of their arrival. But it never works out that way. You must be about two hundred and ten to fifteen feet deep. Klaus shared that he felt many were not reputable insomuch as they often claimed to not be feeling it today and concluded I need to come back tomorrow, effectively doubling their income. Imelda Marcoss mother had been a big fan of the healer. Intriguingly, Santy introduced Marcos to Imelda, and once dated the former beauty queen back in the day. Roxas reported the incident to the police, who predictably ignored his pleas. Estimates of the total buried treasure start at $100 billion and soar to a high of $2 trillion in gold bullion, a figure cited by a respected Manila columnist, Hilarion Henares. It was a fascinating place; a former Japanese military base with large boulders carved into animal shapes. Amelia was a survivor, but had paid the price for her misfortune; she had lost a leg and a hand in the process. Things became even worse. Neither of us now trusted the other. After a long but successful walk I arrived at Klauss most remote treasure site. Roxas was assassinated. I was not able to track down any good information explaining why the judge upheld the Golden Buddha Corporation's claim against Marcos, but it certainly wouldn't be the first time a court of law made a ruling that was not in harmony with true science or the true history of a case. But then, at 11 p.m. on Feb. 22, the tunnel caved in, killing two Filipino workers and focusing national attention on the depth of McDougalds undertaking. Its a known Japanese symbol that means the seeker is going to love what is below, he added in his hypnotic Austrian drawl. When no one could find proof, it went to retrial in 1971 with 102 researchers trying to claim the money. Fair enough. I was not surprised by their rejections. All Rights Reserved. Little did they know the arduous effort that a successful excavation would require. We embarked on the long drive back to Klauss village and our last night as a team. We were all devastated, especially Klaus, as he wanted to open a treasure chamber in time for us to film it for the show. Locals commented that everyone knows to stay away from that area in the summertime because the extreme heat can be dangerous.[10]. Keep going. It simply stood tall and proud and stared at me, gently nodding its head as though it had understood and had accepted its fate. As a result, experienced treasure hunters do not use explosives or, for that matter, motorised devices. One of the five was Robert Curtis, who now heads the Las Vegas company, McDougald said. Affiliation ASCAP Comments Singer-songwriter, poet, translator and occasionally recording artist, born Robert Burns. 0000003204 00000 n Had he been part of the Golden Lily conspiracy? Although General Yamashita was spared torture during his inquisition, he would become the victim of the ultimate indignity death by hanging. 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