FBI returns to Mexico historical manuscript signed by the conqueror Hernan Cortes
The FBI said that no one will be prosecuted for the theft of this historic document, as its investigators determined that it changed hands several times
An original handwritten page signed by Hernan Cortes on February 20, 1527, just years after what is known as the conquest of Tenochtitlan, which marked the history of Mexico, had been stolen between the 1980s and 1990s and it was not until this August 13 that it returned to its country of origin.
According to Special Agent Jessica Dittmer, a member of the FBI's Art Crimes Team, the document "describes the payment of common gold pesos for the preparation expenses for the discovery of the spice lands, so it offers a good perspective on the planning and preparation for unexplored territories at that time."
This document was part of a historical collection signed by hand by Cortes and safeguarded by the General Archive of the Nation. In 1993, during a microfilming process, it was discovered that 15 pages from the collection were missing. However, in 2024, Mexico requested support from the FBI to locate page 28 of that series. Thanks to the collection's detailed records, including accurate numbering and descriptions, investigators were able to track down and authenticate the document.
According to the investigation, the theft occurred between 1985 and 1993. During that time, the manuscript passed through several hands, making it difficult to hold anyone directly responsible.
According to news reports, the document moved from Mexico City to the Museum of World Treasures in Wichita, Kansas; from an auction house in Los Angeles to a warehouse in New Hampshire; and from the FBI offices in Boston back to Mexico City.
To achieve this historic event, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico said that the NYPD Detective Rigel Zeledon worked with Dittmer to track the manuscript within the United States. Support from the FBI offices in Atlanta and the Southern District of New York was instrumental in obtaining the legal and logistical information necessary to recover it. After locating the document,The parties in possession agreed to voluntarily hand it over, allowing the FBI to seize it, verify its authenticity, and officially return it to Mexico.