Mexico's Stolen 'Treasure' Turns Up in Massachusetts

The FBI in Boston has recovered a nearly 500-year-old manuscript signed by the man whose expedition caused the fall of the Aztec Empire. The handwritten payment order signed by Spanish Conquistador Hernando Cortés, which had been listed for auction in Massachusetts, is believed to have been stolen from Mexico's National Archives more than three decades ago. Dated April 27, 1527, it describes the purchase of rose sugar from a pharmacy in exchange for 12 gold pesos, per Boston 25 and MassLive. In a statement, the US Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts says Mexican authorities contacted US officials after spotting the document listed for auction.

"As a result of exceptional work by the Asset Recovery Unit in our office and our law enforcement partners, this historic artifact has been recovered," says US Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. Authorities note the document is one of several related to a 1527 Spanish expedition to Central America that were "unlawfully removed" from Mexico's national archives in Mexico City "sometime before 1993." Rollins says that in filing a forfeiture action, the goal is "to return the manuscript to its rightful owner." FBI Boston Special Agent in Charge Joseph R. Bonavolonta said agents are investigating how the "priceless artifact" and "national treasure" came to be in Massachusetts. (More FBI stories.)