Inside Darrell Miklos's Complicated Bond with Father Roger: Riches, Estrangement, and a $200 Request
Q1: Who was Roger Miklos, and what were his major achievements?
A1: Roger Miklos was a prominent American treasure hunter and former police officer who became a key figure in the Florida and Bahamas salvage community during the 1970s and 1980s. He worked alongside Mel Fisher, contributed to discoveries tied to the 1715 Spanish Treasure Fleet, and captained historic salvage expeditions aboard his vessel, the Eagle Detwiler.
Q2: Why were Darrell Miklos and his father Roger estranged?
A2: Their estrangement stemmed from years of personal friction, Roger's volatile temperament, and opposing views on how salvage should be conducted. Darrell grew frustrated with his father’s unstable finances and aggressive old-school methods, while Roger often harbored professional jealousy toward Darrell's rising profile and modern media-backed expeditions.
Q3: Did Darrell Miklos ever find what was on Gordon Cooper's map?
A3: Yes. During the production of Discovery Channel's Cooper's Treasure, Darrell Miklos and his team used Gordon Cooper’s orbital anomaly charts to locate several historic shipwreck sites in the Caribbean and Bahamas, recovering Spanish colonial artifacts, anchors, and trade goods dating back to the 16th and 18th centuries.