The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam
BBC & CBC
It was the biggest gold discovery in history...until it wasn’t. In 1995, Canadian mining company Bre-X announced to the world it had found a significant amount of gold deep in the jungles of Indonesia. Stock prices soared as investors worldwide fought to stake their claim. But when Bre-X’s chief geologist mysteriously fell from a helicopter over the jungle, the story of the billion dollar discovery began to unravel. Nearly three decades later, no one has ever been held accountable. Now, host Suzanne Wilton takes listeners from the jungles of Indonesia to small town Alberta, Canada, to investigate what really happened and find out more about the man behind the biggest goldmine fraud of all time. Produced for the BBC World Service and CBC by BBC Scotland Productions.
Please note, this series contains references to suicide and has some graphic content.
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Top 10 The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
5. Waiting for Michael
The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam
06/16/24 • 24 min
On the ground at the Busang exploration site, the dream is collapsing and Bre-X geologist Michael de Guzman is needed for some major questioning. But where is he? As the hours tick by and he fails to arrive at Bre-X's site, news of a tragedy spreads. Those involved in the gold discovery need to get out of Indonesia and fast. Since this episode was recorded, John McBeth has sadly passed away. We are very grateful for his contribution to this story.
Please note, this episode deals with upsetting scenes including suicide and contains some graphic details.
1. The fall
The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam
05/19/24 • 39 min
Bre-X geologist Michael de Guzman is the man of the hour. He’s responsible for one of the biggest gold discoveries in the world, deep in the Indonesian jungle. It’s a find that sends Bre-X stock prices soaring to stratospheric heights. So his apparent death — a dramatic fall from a helicopter flying to the gold site — sends shockwaves around the world. Did he jump? Was he pushed? But the days following his death will prove even more shocking. Please note, this episode contains difficult subject matter, including references to suicide and death. The series has references to suicide and some graphic content.
3. The battle for Busang
The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam
06/02/24 • 44 min
As the value of the Indonesian gold discovery skyrockets, it’s not just everyday investors who want in. Powerful players are drawn into the fight for the gold in Busang. But Bre-X, a small company, has only ever traded as a penny stock. Can it stand up to powerful rivals and play in the big leagues?
4. Prospector of the year
The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam
06/09/24 • 29 min
Bre-X’s new partners visit the Indonesian gold exploration site and make a shocking discovery. It will result in a reckoning half a world away at the mining industry’s party of the year — the Prospector and Developers Association Convention. Is the dream of a billion-dollar gold mine about to shatter?
6. The end of the bonanza
The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam
06/23/24 • 37 min
With Bre-X stock halted on the financial markets, the company goes into meltdown. A terrible truth emerges and a scam on an epic scale is revealed. Investors are set to lose millions and entire pension funds will be wiped out. A golden dream turns into a waking nightmare.
Please note, this episode contains difficult subject matter, including references to suicide, and contains some graphic content.
7. Blame
The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam
06/30/24 • 32 min
The hunt to discover who was behind the six billion dollar gold scam begins, and Suzanne brings new information to light on how it was perpetrated. But who was to blame and will anyone be held to account?
Please note, this episode contains difficult subject matter, including references to suicide and death.
8. The fall guy
The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam
07/07/24 • 40 min
Did geologist Michael de Guzman really jump to his death from a helicopter? New information on his last day alive comes to light. And Suzanne tracks down details of his autopsy. Were there other forces at work? Was de Guzman’s death collateral in a larger cover up? Since this episode was recorded, John McBeth has sadly passed away. We are very grateful for his contribution to this story.
Please note, this episode contains difficult subject matter, including references to suicide, death and descriptions of serious injury, including some graphic content.
9. The exit strategy
The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam
07/14/24 • 36 min
A new witness comes forward with important new evidence over the fate of Bre-X geologist Michael de Guzman. The investigation takes a dramatic turn. Could Suzanne finally be close to finding out what really happened? Did de Guzman take his own life to free himself of the scam, was he murdered or did he hatch an elaborate escape? Since this episode was recorded, John McBeth has sadly passed away. We are very grateful for his contribution to this story.
Please note, this episode contains difficult subject matter, including references to suicide and death. It includes some graphic content.
Introducing The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam
The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam
04/30/24 • 2 min
It was the biggest gold mine fraud of all time – a scam that devastated countless lives. But what really happened? Suzanne Wilton revisits the story that she just couldn’t let go of, to find answers about how the scam was perpetrated... and about the mysterious death of a geologist in the jungle. Released from 19 May 2024.
From the BBC World Service and CBC.
2. The believers
The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam
05/26/24 • 43 min
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.
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FAQ
How many episodes does The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam have?
The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam currently has 10 episodes available.
What topics does The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam cover?
The podcast is about True Crime and Podcasts.
What is the most popular episode on The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam?
The episode title 'Introducing The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam?
The average episode length on The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam is 33 minutes.
How often are episodes of The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam released?
Episodes of The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam?
The first episode of The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam was released on Apr 30, 2024.
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