MAYER BROWN LITIGATORS ACHIEVE VICTORY IN DECADE-LONG BATTLE, RESTORE LEGENDARY BAHIA EMERALD TO BRAZIL

A team of Mayer Brown litigators secured a victory for the Brazilian government in its decade-long effort to repatriate the infamous 840-pound Bahia Emerald. The stone was discovered in a Brazilian beryl mine in 2001 and later shipped illegally to the US.

Since 2014, Mayer Brown has been involved in the US legal proceedings before state and federal courts, and numerous federal agencies. In 2015, the firm convinced the US Department of Justice (DOJ) to initiate a federal court action to seize the Emerald pending the completion of criminal prosecutions in Brazil. The Brazilian criminal trial and ensuing appeal process, which were concluded in 2021, culminated in a forfeiture order against the Bahia Emerald.

After the Brazilians who participated in the Emerald’s illegal export exhausted their appellate rights, Mayer Brown worked with Brazil to develop a request under the mutual legal assistance treaty (MLAT) between the United States and Brazil to enforce the Brazilian forfeiture order. In April 2022, the DOJ filed a motion with the US District Court for the District of Columbia under the MLAT, asking the court to order the Emerald’s forfeiture.

This week, in a major win for the country of Brazil, Judge Walton of the US District Court for the District of Columbia issued a final ruling on the DOJ's motion to forfeit the gem to Brazil—ending the lengthy court battle and setting the stage for the Bahia Emerald to be repatriated back to Brazil.

The Mayer Brown litigation team included partners John Nadolenco and Kelly Kramer. Partners Bronwyn Pollock and Matthew Marmolejo assisted on earlier aspects of the case.

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