The explosive story of the illegal gold trade from South America, and the three Miami businessmen who got rich on it.
"Dirty Gold" is based on a Miami Herald series that was a finalist for the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in Explanatory Reporting. It chronicles an international investigation into a gold smuggling ring spanning three continents. The characters include a Chilean college student turned smuggler, an ostentatious Peruvian gold dealer known as "Peter Ferrari," and three ambitious Miami businessmen running a $3.6 billion scheme. "Dirty Gold" also delves into the devastating environmental and social impacts of the illegal gold trade and the unwitting role played by US consumers.
(Please note: Co-authors Nick Nehamas, '14, and Jim Wyss, '09, are also Columbia Journalism School alumni.)