Who Owns It? What Would You Do?

[OneFinger]

The local NBC affiliate just did a news story about a man who claims to have found a long lost treasure. The location is approximately 100 miles south of my home and is in the desert on BLM land.

 

According to the news story, the man claims to have found 150 gold bars, antiques, and dynamite. (This happened over a month ago.) He contacted BLM and the Treasury Department. However, he is refusing to tell them the location of the treasure unless they agree to give him a 40% cut.

 

Value of the treasure is estimated at over $50M.

 

IF there really is a treasure, who owns it? What would you do if you found something like this?

 

IMHO the man is in a real dilemma. Converting gold bars to ready cash is not that easy (especially in the quantities he claims to have found). I don't see how he can just keep the find and receive any kind of benefit from it. I think he's got to involve the government to liquidate the gold. But, it's also a shame he's not entitled to the entire value.

 

But, if this turns out to be hoax, could he be charged with any crime? Would you consider this just an innocent lie or should he have any punishment?

 

The BLM claims they don't care about the treasure. They're saying they are more concerned about the dynamite and the safety of other treasure hunters that are now accessing their land. (Ya, sure - they don't care about the money.)

 

So, what would you do?

[Bilbo]

If this is a scam, it would fall under an attempt to defraud and therefore would be a crime. I think the man should be liable for the amount of money the government spends investigating this, if and only if he is lying.

 

If he is not lying, I think the government is due a share, at least, since they own the land. Oddly, it would seem to me sort of like the difference between finding a twenty on the street and finding it in my backyard. But then the government owns the street so my analogy breaks down. :7

[OneFinger]

Here's an update to this situation.

 

DELTA, Utah (AP) -- The family of a man who claims to have found millions of dollars worth of gold and antique guns in a desert cave says he's tired of dealing with the federal government and plans to just leave the cache where he found it.

 

Glen Taylor says his son, Scott, is "having a terrible time with it."

 

Scott Taylor has been a virtual recluse since news broke this week on two Salt Lake television stations that he allegedly stumbled across a lost fortune while hiking on public land in west Utah about a month and a half ago.

 

Taylor claims he found 280 gold bricks with "U-S Cavalry" stamped on each; two Civil War-era rifles; a six-shooter; and dynamite.

 

But the Bureau of Land Management and others say Scott Taylor is the only who claims to have seen this loot. The Taylors counter the goverment isn't willing to share a finder's fee for the cache.

 

The B-L-M says it's NOT their place to negotiate, and if the gold really has 'U-S Cavalry' on it, then it belongs to the Army.

 

An Army spokeswoman declined comment today.

 

http://tv.ksl.com/index.php?nid=5&sid=213043

 

I'm beginning to think the guy is lying. But, as BLM points out in the article, if the gold is stamped "U-S Cavalry" it does belong to the Army and they deserve to get it back. (I'm sure it would be a welcome addition to help pay for the conflict in Iraq. ;-) )

[noviceny]

I think I might message one of the smart rich guys on this board and ask them for advice.

 

Or I might drive to Mexico after I thought up a plan on how I could sell the gold out of country

 

Or maybe Canada

[Guest zipperzone]

>I think I might message one of the smart rich guys on this

>board and ask them for advice.

>

>Or I might drive to Mexico after I thought up a plan on how I

>could sell the gold out of country

>

>Or maybe Canada

 

Just in case it hadn't dawned on you - Canada IS "out of country"