Take Two translates the day’s headlines for Southern California, making sense of the news and cultural events that affect our lives. Produced by Southern California Public Radio and broadcast from October 2012 – June 2021. Hosted by A Martinez.
The Bahia Emerald is worth around $400 million, weighs 840 pounds and has eight people and one country laying claim to it.
But who really owns it?
It's a huge rock with spires of emerald embedded into its face.
Mined in 2001 in Brazil, it's since traveled to Northern California, New Orleans, Paradise, California, South El Monte, California, Las Vegas and now Los Angeles.
Brazil argues that the gem was exported illegally out of the country and should be returned. But a Los Angeles County judge on Monday said that a trial to determine its ownership will continue in L.A.
Stephen Ceasar with the Los Angeles Times joins Take Two to walk us through this battle.
CORRECTION: In the interview, Mr. Ceasar said that the emerald was once in North Carolina. He misspoke and meant it was temporarily in Northern California. We regret the error.