We’ve been covering this story since it first rose to national attention almost three years ago, but more details continue to emerge. We’re talking about the treasure-hunting duo Dennis and Kem Parada of Finders Keepers, who believed they tracked down the location of a huge shipment of gold that was “lost” during the Civil War in rural Dents Run, Pennsylvania. Unable to get permission to dig for the treasure, they enlisted the help of the government. That’s when the FBI showed up with earth-moving equipment and conducted their own secretive dig, later claiming that they found nothing. The treasure hunters didn’t believe them and took them to court in a case that is still unfolding. But now, two new witnesses have come forward and they say they’re not buying what the FBI is claiming either.
The FBI’s highly unusual search for buried Civil War-era treasure more than five years ago set in motion a dispute over what, if anything, the agency unearthed and an ongoing legal battle over key records. There’s so much intrigue that even a federal judge felt compelled to note in a ruling last week: “The FBI may have found the gold — or maybe not.”
Now, two witnesses have come forward to share with The Associated Press what they heard and saw in the woods that late-winter morning, raising questions about the FBI’s timeline and adding plot twists to a saga that blends elements of legend, fact and science – and a heavy dose of government secrecy.
The witnesses are elk- hunting guide Eric McCarthy and his client, Don Reichel. They were up on the ridge on the night that the FBI dug for the gold while forcing the treasure-hunters to remain in their car so they couldn’t watch. McCarthy and Reichel both say that they saw armored trucks leaving the area and at least one of them “rode low, as if it was carrying a full load.” They also claim that they heard the sound of heavy machinery all through the night, though the FBI’s permit only allowed them to operate until 10 pm...more
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