AOL Set To Dig For Buried Treasure

Last year, America Online won a $12.8 million dollar settlement against Davis Wolfgang Hawke (and won the case by default judgment because Hawke failed to appear in court) after suing him for violating federal and state anti-spam laws by sending unwanted e-mails to its subscribers. Since that judgment, AOL has been unable to make contact with Mr. Hawke to collect the court ordered payment ... go figure. Apparently, the internet spamming business is quite lucrative because experts believe Hawke and his business partners earned more than $600,000 each month (much of it cash) by sending unwanted sales pitches over the internet for everything from loans to pornography to jewelry and prescription drugs. Not to be outdone, AOL has been doing their homework and has discovered receipts that supposedly prove Davis Hawke purchased quantities of gold and platinum bars, and it is believed that he buried these possessions in his parents yard to avoid them being seized by authorities. Now ... here's where it gets really strange. The court has granted permission for AOL to proceed with excavation of the property in an attempt to "recover hidden assets". And although the company intends to use bulldozers and geological teams to hunt for gold and platinum on their property, AOL said it will try to accommodate Hawke's parents by not being too obtrusive. I'm really at a loss as to how the court system has the right to set up a makeshift mine on your property without the owner's consent and based solely on circumstantial evidence.