Eyewitness Accounts Challenge FBI’s Narrative on Hunt for Civil War Gold

In a secluded region of Pennsylvania known for its elk population, Eric McCarthy and his client, Don Reichel, woke up in the pre-dawn hours to search for “brown gold”—newly-shed antlers to augment Reichel’s home collection.

Simultaneously, not far from their location, a team of FBI agents was on a different kind of gold hunt. Their mission was to locate a purported treasure trove of Civil War-era gold. Initiated over half a decade ago, the FBI’s unconventional expedition has led to an ongoing legal dispute over whether the agency discovered anything, and if so, what. The topic is so captivating that a federal judge recently opined, “The FBI may have found the gold — or maybe not.”

New eyewitness testimony has emerged that challenges the FBI’s official account of their operation. Two witnesses spoke to The Big Big News, presenting an account that puts the FBI’s publicly disclosed timeline into question. The revelations add new complexities to a narrative already laden with elements of lore, historical fact, science, and governmental secrecy.

The FBI asserts that their March 2018 dig in Dents Run, a remote forested area approximately 110 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, yielded no treasure. Nonetheless, treasure hunter Dennis Parada, who initially led the FBI to the excavation site, remains skeptical. Parada questions the validity of the agency’s claim, citing its own scanning technology, which indicated the presence of a metallic mass potentially worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Eric McCarthy, a 45-year-old elk guide, recently opted to share his experience after observing Parada’s legal struggles. “I felt that they had been wronged, and I needed to share what I witnessed,” said McCarthy. In an interview, he recounted hearing the unmistakable noise of heavy machinery operating in the forest while he and Reichel were hunting. Later that day, the two men saw a convoy of armored trucks, one of which appeared to be heavily loaded, pass by their location.

Don Reichel, McCarthy’s 73-year-old client, confirmed McCarthy’s account, saying they both heard and saw signs of extensive activity that morning. Their statements align with prior claims from local residents who reported hearing construction noise and seeing a procession of FBI vehicles.

The FBI has consistently denied any after-hours activity, stating that their presence was merely to secure the site through nocturnal ATV patrols. “No gold or any other items of evidence were located or collected,” stated FBI spokesperson Carrie Adamowski.

Despite the lack of robust historical evidence to corroborate the tale of the lost gold shipment, the legend continues to captivate treasure hunters like Parada. Scientific evaluations, including one from the FBI’s own geophysical consultant, have suggested that there is something substantial buried at the site.

The matter has also been the subject of ongoing legal proceedings. The FBI has been reluctant to release all of its operational documents, prompting legal challenges. In 2022, under court orders, the FBI finally released a substantial number of documents and photographs but continues to withhold certain key records.

Dennis Parada remains persistent in his quest for the Civil War-era gold. He recently enlisted a geophysical firm from New Jersey to survey the site once again. The scans have identified several underground anomalies near the initial dig site, reigniting interest in the story. Parada, along with his legal team and senior officials from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, is scheduled for a meeting later this month to discuss a potential new dig.

“This is a concealed chapter of our history,” said Parada. “It is time for it to be revealed.”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about FBI Civil War-era gold hunt

More about FBI Civil War-era gold hunt

• FBI’s Official Statement on Dents Run Excavation
• Civil War Gold Legends
• History of Treasure Hunting in Pennsylvania
• The Freedom of Information Act and Its Implications
• Overview of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
• Court Rulings Related to FBI’s Gold Dig in Dents Run
• Scientific Techniques Used in Treasure Hunting