2. The believers

It’s gold fever. Estimates put the Bre-X discovery at four times the size of the biggest known gold deposit — and investors are trying to cash in. A small Canadian town is swept up in the gold rush. But others are asking questions, including a hedge fund manager who goes to extraordinary lengths to get inside the Indonesia gold site.

Since this episode was recorded, John McBeth has sadly passed away. We are very grateful for his contribution to this story.

The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam was first published in May 2024.

The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam is made by BBC Scotland Productions for the BBC World Service and CBC

Presenter: Suzanne Wilton
Lead Producer: Kate Bissell
Producers: Anna Miles and Mark Rickards
Research: Tom Hinckley
Story consultant: Jack Kibble-White
Music and Sound design: Hannis Brown
Additional Sound Design + Audio Mix: Joel Cox
Executive Editor: Heather Kane-Darling
CBC Senior Producers: Veronica Simmonds and Willow Smith
CBC Executive Producers: Chris Oke and Cesil Fernandes
BBC Commissioning Senior Producer: Anne Dixey
BBC Commissioning Editor: Jon Manel