covert operations discussion

What was the link between The Beale Treasure and President Thomas Jefferson?

"The Beale Papers" describe how a band of Virginia famers lead by Thomas Beale, a swarthy looking adventurer, went westward, across the Mississippi River, leaving from his home in Lynchburg, Virginia, and found gold, deep into hostile and dangerous territories. And, during his three month excursion nobody ever bothered him, or noticed his clandestine activity...... I'm not sure I believe all this!!

It's ironic that the person who found over $40 million of gold, was named after President Thomas Jefferson, and strange also, that the same person, Thomas Beale left "three coded messages" with a friend to recover his gold, if he failed to return. And to top it all off; President Thomas Jefferson invented the famous Cipher Wheel, a machine that revolutionized encryption technology.

Both men, the President and Beale, were expert in codes and ciphers. Hmmmm!! I'm convinced there's a covert operation back story here!!