Their Home Renovation Led To An FBI Investigation

Buying a home can be stressful but exciting at the same time. For one Ohio couple, they got a little more than they bargained for when FBI officers would storm their 1940’s house. Not only would the FBI descend on their new home, but the couple would find themselves making headlines across the country and even the world. Who would have guessed buying a home would lead to so much more than they ever asked for?

New Beginnings

When an Ohio couple closed the deal on their new 1940’s style home, they knew the first thing they wanted to do was home renovations. They wanted to update the fixtures, apply a fresh coat of paint but also update the basement, which remained unfurnished. Their basement had a lot of work that needs to be done. The floors had cracks, graffiti on the wall, and the ceiling needed to be taken down.

A Hidden Secret

Just like most home renovations, they began with tearing down walls, digging into the foundation, and attacking the ceiling. As they began to take down the drop-down ceilings piece by piece, the couple could not have prepared themselves for what they would uncover. They would find a vintage lunch box wedged behind the rafters, and this surprising discovery halted the couple’s work. Pushed by curiosity, the couple reached up to take down the shockingly well-maintained lunchbox. There was a second one, too.

An Unusual Discovery of Treasures

When the couple brought down the hidden suitcases, they could not believe the state of the cases. Whoever owned these cases took extreme care of them. They looked to be almost in pristine condition given where they had been hidden. Given we live in a time of social media and oversharing, the couple chronicled every moment of the mystery suitcases. The discovery enthralled the husband, but more importantly, he was excited about what possible treasures could be found within.

Uncovering the Treasures

The couple brought both the suitcases to their backyard. They reflected on the feeling and anticipation of opening them. The husband especially could not contain his excitement as he fantasized about all the possible treasures and secrets that could be hidden in the suitcases. The first case that they chose to open was the smaller and lighter one. The couple both had their ideas on what could be in the bag.

Unveiling the Contents 

Unable to contain their excitement, the couple proceeded to open the first case. When they opened the case, the couple was surprised to see it did not have much. Inside the lunchbox, the couple uncovered bundles of something wrapped in yellow wax paper. The couple could not understand what it was the wax paper was wrapped around, but just that there were bunches of them, and they were rectangular.

Mystery Contents

Taking the contents outside the case one by one, the couple laid them out on their patio table. As one of them did this, the other was capturing the moment by taking pictures and sharing it online. To put things into perspective, the couple used a baby teething toy to show the difference in size. As they laid the contents out, the couple could faintly notice some images but still could not make it out through the aged wax paper.

An Unexpected Jackpot

As the wife continued to photograph her husband uncovering the contents of the small case, little did she know her husband was already unwrapping the individually wrapped packages. Carefully and cautiously unwrapping the first bundle, the husband was shocked by the discovery of the first bundle. Bound in yellow wax paper, the husband revealed to his wife the near mint condition $20 bills. When interviewed, the wife said her husband was beyond the moon. “These are all twenties! There may be a couple thousand here!”

One Down, Two More to Go

After unwrapping the first bundle, the husband could not contain his excitement and anticipation for what the other two packages could uncover. This time, as the husband prepared to open the second yellow wax bundle, he had his wife get the camera. Now, with the camera ready to record, the husband began to unfold the second bundle. Similar to the first bundle, the second and third bundles all revealed stacks of bills. Instead of the $20s, the second stack revealed $50s, and the third stack revealed $100s.

Blast from the Past  

The couple could not contain their excitement. They had come into a windfall and were not sure what to do with their new fortune. Before they could continue to the second case, the couple examined the bills. The bills seemed to have all come from a similar period. The dates on the bills ranged from 1928 to 1934. Underneath the bundles of cash, the couple found an article dated March 25, 1951. The article was from The Cleveland Plain-Dealer.

An Ordinary Couple Striking it Rich…

The couple could not believe their luck. Never did they think that buying a home and doing renovations would result in this significant windfall. Taking their discovery indoors, the couple took the stack of money and newspaper inside. This case had stayed hidden for over 65 years. As they brought in the money, paper, and the suitcase they had momentarily forgotten, there was a second one they still had to open.

Adding it all Up

As they placed the money on the dining table, it took them a moment to swallow just how much money they had uncovered in the little case. In the first case, the couple had a couple of thousand unexpectedly – but the couple wondered, just exactly how much did this amount to in today’s time? With inflation and interest, the couple knew that with enthusiasm and inflation, there was a lot more than meets the eye.

A Second Surprise 

The couple could not believe their discovery – they could barely hold in their anticipation and excitement for the second case. Opening the latter case inside, they were blown away at the discovery of the contents. Rather than bundles of yellow wax paper, the second case was filled to the max with what looked to be paper. As they pulled out a document, the couple would be shocked to find MORE money. The case had an array of bills ranging from $20s, $50s, and $100s.

Tallying their Findings

The couple knew instantly that the money in the second case equaled more than that of the first one. Stacking the bills in an attempt to determine just how much money they had accurately – the count would prove shocking. They had counted just over $23,000 in the one case. If the couple thought they were lucky with the first discovery, the second discovery left them speechless. Though, the couple knew they could not just claim the money, but more importantly, they were curious to know if there was more to their new home.

What are the Chances?

When it comes to uncovering treasure within your home or anywhere for that matter, the chances of finding “treasure” are about 1 in 100,000. Though this couple seemed to have hit the jackpot not just once, but twice, it seems they are the unicorn of the bunch. Not all homes from the 1940s have a hidden secret case filled with bills, although we would like to believe it possible. In a way, this is what makes their story so unique and intriguing; they seem to be so lucky!

More to the Eye

As they put the money back into the case they had found it in, the couple wondered if their stunning home had more hidden secrets. Both of them had this inkling that there was more to their home than they knew. Going on an expedition, they found themselves in one of the spare rooms. Why the extra room? In the spare room, there was a door that they had never blinked twice at, until now.

Mystery Passage

With a flashlight in hand, the couple prepared to see what was behind this small, white door. The real estate agent that had sold them the house had not disclosed anything unusual about the home; other than that, it required a bit of updating and renovations — nothing they couldn’t handle. What did the Realtor leave out, or what was he not aware of? The home seemed to have secrets and hidden passages that they were not aware of when they bought the house.

An Unexpected Space

 The couple could not prepare themselves for what was behind this ordinary door. How could they have not explored behind this door, let alone realize there was an entire room hidden behind the wall? Telling his wife to stay back, the husband ventured on his own through the rough and darkroom. As he crossed to the other side, he discovered that there were still more mysteries to be uncovered because behind this ordinary door was another door – this time, a locked door.

A Second Hidden Room

As the man entered the dark space, he saw a second hidden a locked door. This door wasn’t like the entrance to the supposed utility room, let alone any entry like they had seen throughout the house. The locked door had a lock, which made the husband wonder what could be behind this door? Whatever it was, this lock was meant to prevent anyone from getting into the space. The husband could not figure out what could be hidden inside.

Something Suspicious

The husband was starting to feel stressed with what could be behind this locked door; the anticipation was becoming too much to bear. He knew he could not let a lock be the reason he stopped his discovery. Going back to his wife, he was no longer alone in his quest to uncover the secrets of the hidden, locked door. What the couple would discover behind this door once the locks were broken would send a shiver down their back.

Like a Scene from a Horror Movie

When the couple got through the locked door, what they would uncover would be something from a horror movie. The high-security door opened into another room. This room, however, would be heavily insulated in what looked to be soundproofing material and a white plastic tarp. The couple had a sinking feeling that whoever made this room did not want it to be discovered. Not only did they not want to be seen, but why would anyone have a place like this if not for something sinister.

From One Door to Another

When they thought they had uncovered every possible secret of their home, they would discover ANOTHER hidden room. This room, though, if they recall the layout of their home, was supposed to be, in theory, where they kept their water heater; however, they knew this room did not have their water heater. Instead, this door lead to another room that had carpet and garbage. In the room, there was one thing that caught the couple’s eye.

More Hidden Treasures

Seeing the old brown leather briefcase, the couple wondered if there would be more cash or treasures. Given the contents of the two cases found in the basement, the couple had a feeling that this briefcase would have more treasures. When they opened the suitcase though, they would uncover something much more disturbing. Unlike the others, there was no money in this briefcase. Just as they had been chronicling their first two suitcases, the couple were chronicling the uncovering of this suitcase.

Someone’s Belongings

Opening the leather suitcase, the couple was anxious to discover what they would unearth. Were they in store for more fortunes? Or, would the discovery of the brown leather suitcase in the sinister room unveil something much worse? As the husband opened the briefcase, they would find inside the valuable possessions of someone. There would be watches, wedding bands, and just as the other cases had cash, so did this one. The one difference was that the money, in this case, was foreign and not American.

Something More…

Just when the couple had thought they’d uncovered and seen all that was possible, they would be proven wrong. As their eye was caught by something else in the room, the couple could not help but wonder what the suitcase was doing stuffed in a hidden room. Why would someone have left them behind? The couple didn’t have much time to ponder or celebrate their exciting discovery; they had a feeling the room would hold more mysteries.

 A Mystery Safe

All the couple was uncovering so far were suitcases and mysterious doors – this time, though, their attention was drawn to a safe. Squirreled away in the back corner was a black Sentry safe. With the intimidating setup of the room, what possible purpose could there be for covering a hidden room in soundproofing material and a white tarp. The husband was nervous about opening the safe as he had a dreadful feeling that it would contain something far more sinister than a few old watches and foreign currency.

“Save Yourself”

No one could prepare the couple for what they were going to find in the safe. Forcing his way into the safe, the husband would be successful. On top of the contents of the safe, there would be a suspicious note. Written in dripping bold black ink, the letter read, “Save yourself.” Both husband and wife felt a chill come over them. Was the note a warning to the new homeowners? Or was it merely a joke, a pun on being found inside a safe?

More Warnings

If the note was not enough to send them a chill, they dug a bit deeper into the safe. What hadn’t caught the husband’s eyes right away was a warning written in white ink: “Do Not,” but that was all it said. The couple looked at each other, unsure what the message was supposed to be – or if the reason the letter came to an end was that something had happened to them.

A Disturbing Discovery

Taking a deep breath, the man removed the tapes from the safe. What would further inspection of the recordings reveal? The one thing that the couple could determine with certainty was that the tapes were much older than the other things they had discovered earlier. Some of the videotapes were labeled, but the labels indicated little about what the video was about. Some of the videos were marked with a mysterious and indecipherable series of letters and numbers: 194, 1195, 11195, IV, 95, V.

Where Did They Come From?

The discoveries of the day were becoming very overwhelming and stressful for the couple. The husband tried to ease his mind and all the possible reasons for someone to hide such videos in a morbid room. He tried to put the thoughts out of his mind. Admittedly, these tapes were left by the previous owner. Maybe they are meant to be a practical joke for whoever would find the mysterious room. The one thing the husband knew was that he and his wife were out of their leagues and would need to report their discovery soon.

Feeding Curiosity

Weeks had passed since the couple uncovered the mysterious cases of money and videotapes. The couple did not own a VCR, so they were unable to watch the videos; however, it plagued their minds day in and out. Giving in to curiosity, the husband was able to find a second-hand store that had a VCR. Spending some money, the husband purchased the VCR to be able to watch the videos. Nothing would prepare him for what he would find on the videos…

Disturbing Recordings

When the husband returned home with the second-hand VCR, he eagerly and apprehensively hooked it up to his TV. Waiting for his wife to return from work, he again played possible scenarios in his mind. Once his wife had returned, they popped one of the VHS into the VCR. As the first video, then the second, and then the third played, the couple began to realize that their family home had a dark secret, it was a secret they knew they could not keep to themselves.

Time for the Experts

Realizing that their home was once the epicenter of some very dark and grueling events, the couple decided it was time to consult the professionals. They consulted with their lawyers about what the money they had discovered and then sought their advice with regards to the footage. Rather than just going to the local police, the couple decides it was in their best interest to also contact the FBI, as this was not only a local crime – this was something more significant.

Home No More

Once the couple had gotten the FBI involved, their home became the center of national and local news coverage. Not only was media intrigued by what the couple had uncovered, but all their friends on Facebook, whom they had been sharing their journey with, were also on edge to learn more. For the couple, they knew that their home was no longer their home as the FBI began to dismantle and go through every inch of the property.

Uncovering their Homes History  

While the FBI converged onto their Ohio home and began looking for more information and products, the husband found himself also doing his own investigating. He, too, wanted to learn about who left these cases of money, belongings, and videos behind. What was once a highly followed mystery, the couples’ journey and the unearthing of these hidden treasures were suddenly being removed from the couple’s Facebook. Not only was the story gone from their social media, but it seemed media had unexpectedly been silenced.

True or False?

The world and local papers found themselves invested in this story, and when things went cold, people began to wonder if this was a hoax. The couple has responded to such accusations and said that what they had shared and uncovered did happen, and the reason for the radio-silence was because of the ongoing investigation that has resulted from the discoveries. This update from the couple only resulted in more questions and more curious to know where everything the couple had found, had come from.

Others Like Them

This Ohio couple’s story is not as unique as one may think – there are other instances around the world where homeowners, explorers, and travelers explore and unearth something shocking, if not sinister. Take, for example, a man who purchased a home in Texas. Eager to explore his dream home, he found himself in the basement. Doing an inspection, he found an oddly placed plywood. Not recalling this during the tour with the Realtor, he decides to investigate further…

Mind Blowing Discovery  

What this Texan homeowner would find behind this plywood would blow his mind, and his home, if he wasn’t safe. Inside was a crawl space that leads to an open room. Inside this space was a secret bunker filled with military artillery. From guns to ammo and bombs, the homeowner could not believe it. On top of this weaponry discovery, he would also find a giant safe filled with nothing but pennies. We hope he had time to spare to roll the coins!

Across the Sea in England

Not only was the Texan homeowner lucky, but a couple in England found themselves also uncovering a hidden room. A British couple was in the process of selling their family home when they had happened upon a secret passage. In all their years there, they had never dared explore until now. To their surprise, they would find a perfectly maintained Victorian kitchen, complete with dining table and cookbooks of the time. This discovery would result in the couple changing their minds and not selling.

History Under Their Feet

Similarly, to the Texan homeowner who found artillery from all decades, a couple by the name of Linda and Wally DeForest would uncover a piece of war history. While rummaging through the basement of their new home, they would discover a torpedo. It would not be just any torpedo; however, it would be the green torpedo. At first, Wally did not believe his wife that this was authentic, but they decided to investigate and contacted a local historian.

Korean and Vietnam War

After they had consulted with a historian and an Army veteran, Linda would feel satisfaction in knowing she was right – this was a genuine green torpedo. The Army veteran they spoke to was able to provide them with some history of its use and date it back to the Korean and Vietnam wars, and how it was used in a lightweight anti-tank weapon. Once they had confirmed its authenticity, the bomb was removed by property authorities. Guess history buffs wanted a piece of history with them.

WW2 Documents

During a home renovation on their Hungarian home, a couple found over 6,000 Nazi documents hidden behind their walls. The papers all pertained to the Third Reich and contained detailed information about the holocaust. It has information on the count of Jews, as well as their movements. The documents the couple found were a rare piece of World War II history as much of the reports about the Nazi’s were destroyed when they found out the war was ending.

Ongoing Investigation

Back to the original story…When the couple had involved the police and FBI, little did they know that it would blow out of proportion. Authorities had told the couple that the tapes warranted a much more in-depth investigation, which meant that it could not be publicly shared or discussed. It was for this reason that any details of the tape needed to be removed from public attention. The mystery, it seemed, would continue. The suspense around the tapes would grow for all who knew about the couple’s discovery.

Speculation on the Discoveries

Though the FBI and local authorities refuse to comment or discuss the discoveries, many have said that the videos contained footage of crimes that happened in the secret room. The footage also reportedly revealed many more secrets of the so-called family home. What is not answered by the videos, however, is whether or not what thousands upon thousands of dollars the couple found were associated with the crimes or if the home was just a home with a dark history.

Moving On

While the couple who found the suitcases and videotapes found themselves embroiled in a police investigation, they have gone back normalcy. Though it took a few weeks to adjust to the inspections and infiltration of the FBI, the couple would go on and resume their renovations. No more surprises would pop up for the couple, and they would go on to live in their dream home. Friends and family still ask about whether or not there are more hidden rooms or secrets in the house, but the couple has said the FBI has been thorough with every nook and cranny. Now the family can live free from fear of the dark secrets of their home.

Not All Discoveries are Bad

When English couple, Diane and Pat Farla, purchased an old Victorian house, little did they know that they had purchased more than just a house. The couple had noticed an oddly placed grate in their basement – curious; they decided to explore. Removing the grill, they were able to crawl through and discover what looked to be a chapel. Consulting with historians, they would date the chapel back to the 1700s, which was a dark time for Catholics, as they were being persecuted and executed. Their home was a sanctuary for people of faith.

Some Discoveries Lead to Lost Cities

In 1963, while doing a home renovation, this unsuspecting Turkish homeowner would not be prepared for what he would be about to uncover while accidentally breaking ground. While attempting to knock down a wall, the owner came across what he presumed as a hidden room. Excited, the man entered the room and to his surprise, found another room and another. Who would have guessed that his discovery would result in an entire hidden city being uncovered.

The Lost Derinkuyu

The city this homeowner would uncover is Derinkuyu, which upon the discovery was a 1,000-year-old secret. Since the accidental discovery, there have been eight levels unveiled so far hand; it has become a tourist attraction. Who would have thought a home renovation would uncover a lost civilization, let alone one as intricate and unique as Derinkuyu. This city was built underground and was connected by tunnels. This unique world wonder has been covered in documentaries looking at once lost civilizations.

Lost Families

A famous Russian tale that has been turned into Hollywood movies is the story of Anastasia, the young daughter of Russian Czar Nicholas. In an upscale New York apartment, hidden in the attic is one of 50 Faberge figures of the famous Czar. He commissioned them in 1912 as a gift to his wife, Empress Alexandra. When the figurine was put up for auction, it was sold for a shocking $5.2 million. Discoveries in our attics can sometimes uncover a long-lost history.

Magic?

Imagine moving into your new home and discovering this six-foot-long wooden box? What do you do? Do you open it or throw it out? For this homeowner, he allowed curiosity to get the best of him, and so he decided to open up the locked box. Inside, he was shocked to find that inside were three more boxes that seemed to fit into one another. Not only were there three boxes, but there seemed to be more stuff within each box.

A Trade Secret

It seemed the more this homeowner dug into the boxes, the more he was uncovering. Inside one box, he found a straitjacket which, depending on the history of the home, who knew what it was used for. Inside the other box, there was a ventriloquist dummy – which, if you are like most who have heard of the infamous Chucky, these things can be very creepy. What the homeowner would eventually conclude is he had uncovered a magician’s box.

Other Discoveries Lead to Million Dollar Paintings

While cleaning out the contents of their late father, a family in Vermont uncovered in their father’s home a fake wall. The children of the deceased man knew that he was an avid art collector and that he had purchased a few originals. Little did they know that he would have an original Normal Rockwell painting that would be auctioned off for $15.4 million. Similarly, a New York man would also find a hidden original Michelangelo painting he hid on his couch. This painting would be worth $300 million dollars.

Some Discoveries Lead to Snake Infestation Problems

When buying a home that is on sale for a shocking price, sometimes the best thing to do is question why but also stick to your instincts if you think something doesn’t seem right. For Ben and Amber Sessions, they had found what they would be their dream home at an unbeatable price. What they would soon go on to discover about their five bedroom dream home was that their family had also inherited hundreds of garter snakes as well.

Things Get Worst for the Sessions

When the Sessions began to notice an abnormal number of snakes around their property and hearing them in their walls, Ben decided to investigate further. To his unfortunate discovery, they would learn their home sat on top of a snake hibernaculum and that the previous owners and real estate agent failed to inform them. They would move out, but it would cost them financially as they would go on to file for bankruptcy.

Court Ordered Return of Treasures 

The Sessions may have found themselves filing for bankruptcy due to their snake-infested home. Still, for one Arizona man, he found himself being ordered to return his treasures when a contractor uncovered $500,000 in cash during home renovations. The homeowner, who had just moved in and the contractor, found themselves fighting for the money in court. In a shocking twist, however, the court would award the funds to neither party but to the original owner of the money – who, unfortunately, died 11 years prior.

Some Discoveries Are Just Bizarre

It is safe to say that no two discoveries are ever the same. For some, they can find valuable treasures, while others are not so lucky. For one individual, they shared how they uncovered a lockbox that had approximately $50,000 in cash along with a bottle of alcohol and the book by E.F. Schumacher, “A Guide for the Perplexed.” It seems whoever decided to store these goodies wanted to perplex the finder!

Peanut Butter Anyone?

Just as a random book on being perplexed was uncovered, along with alcohol and wine (not to forget the $50,000 also in the box), imagine finding peanut butter. However, when the homeowner looked closer as the jar, they realized it was not peanuts but corn, corn that was from the mid-seventies. This is one of the most random items to be uncovered, and yet, for the homeowner, they saw this as a piece of food history.

Yesterday’s Treasures are Modern Day Golden Treasures

For one plumber in the US, he struck gold. While doing some bathroom renovations, he began to notice the pipes were starting to rumble as though there was something substantial flowing inside of them. Peering his eyes, he saw a shiny object. Without even thinking, he would reach out towards this shiny object, and good thing he did. This unsuspecting plumber struck gold, literally. He found a gold bar weighing 1 kilo, which is equivalent to $50,000!

First Edition Comic Book

There are some collectibles that we hold on to in hopes that they can be worth something. For one Minnesota household, the discovery of a near-mint condition first edition of the Superman comics would prove right. Hidden behind a wall, the homeowners figured they had used the comic book as a form of insulation, which is how they uncovered it. At a 2011 auction, the comic book was sold for $2.16 million – who knew they would ever reach the millions!

Looking For Gold vs. Stumbling Upon It

One thing that a lot of these discoveries have in common is that they were accidentally stumbled upon. From the hidden walls to secret passages, many of these folks had no idea such treasures were within their reach. For some, however, they like to find and seek their treasures. These folks are the ones who walk around with metal detectors in hopes of finding a gold coin. One thing is for certain; you can never be prepared for the unknown.