First, a reclusive millionaire hides a treasure chest in the Rockies and dares America to find it with a poem — five people die trying.
Now that it’s been found, the real question is: has another one already been hidden?
This feels to me like “National Treasure” meets “Tiger King” (which I rated 95/100).
It’s based on Benjamin Wallace’s 2022 article in New York Magazine’s Intelligencer (read it here).
If you want to dig deeper, check out my review on: The 4 Best Documentaries on Forrest Fenn’s Treasure.
Trailer for “Gold & Greed: The Hunt for Fenn’s Treasure”
You Can’t Make This Sh!t Up
- Fenn wrote the poem so that even a child could solve it—but also admitted he deliberately planted red herrings. The clues led people to Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, and New Mexico.
- Five searchers die during the decade-long hunt.
- At least one guy disappeared in Yellowstone during his search. They never found his body.
Watch “Gold & Greed: The Hunt for Fenn’s Treasure”
You can watch “Gold & Greed: The Hunt for Fenn’s Treasure” on Netflix.
Ratings:
- My Rating: 90/100
- IMDB Rating: 7.1/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: na
Release Date: March 27, 2025
Director’s Note
“Gold & Greed: The Hunt for Fenn’s Treasure” is directed by Jared McGilliard, who previously directed “The Swim”, the documentary that followed Ben Lecomte’s 5,500-mile swim across the Pacific Ocean (from Japan to San Francisco).
Wallace appears on camera too—he’s the journalist who covered the madness for Intelligencer, and he helps guide us through both the mythology and the mania.
Release Date: October 18, 2025
Other Highlights from the Doc
- Justin Posey, one of the most devoted hunters, bought pieces of the original Fenn treasure at auction—then added more gold, gemstones, and even a meteorite. He reburied it in a new secret location, with clues hidden throughout the Netflix series itself.
- The man who finally found the treasure—Jack Stuef—kept it secret for months… and then the internet conspiracy theories exploded.
- Fenn’s 24-line poem was so cryptic that some people thought it involved ciphers, GPS triangulation, or secret government maps. One guy used a drone to search cliff ledges. Another guy was caught digging under a historic church.
- Fenn may have manipulated searchers, including fueling online forums with cryptic comments and encouraging people to keep looking even after deaths occurred.
- Jack Stuef (the finder) was a former journalist and med student. He finally came forward in 2022 after staying anonymous for two years, partly due to legal threats and online harassment.
- The series includes a rare interview with Fenn’s grandson, Shiloh, who inherited not just the estate—but the blame from angry searchers who didn’t win.
- In a twist, Justin Posey buries a new treasure inspired by Fenn’s original chest. Viewers must now rewatch the series for hidden clues if they want to find it. Yes, really.
Cameos
- TV footage from Al Roker, Matt Lauer, Hoda Kotb, Savannah Guthrie, and Stephanie Ramos help show how big the Fenn treasure hunt became in the mainstream media.
- Forrest Fenn himself appears via archival footage—charismatic, cryptic, and increasingly elusive.
- Ben Wallace (New York Magazine) appears throughout and shares behind-the-scenes insight into his original reporting.
Lesser-Known Details from the Doc
- The treasure was found near Yellowstone, but Fenn never publicly confirmed that location. Jack Stuef verified it only after a federal lawsuit forced partial disclosures.
- Fenn’s attorney, Karl Sommer, reveals that Fenn had planned to be buried with the treasure before surviving cancer changed his plans.
- The bookstore owner Dorothy Massey was one of Fenn’s closest confidants—she helped him edit his memoir and was stunned by the aftermath.
- Fenn’s daughter Zoe and grandson Shiloh were pulled into lawsuits, Reddit conspiracy theories, and even death threats.
Wrap Up:
This is a wild ride through ego, obsession, and buried gold. If you liked “Don’t F**k With Cats” or “The Curse of Oak Island,” you’ll want to binge all 3 parts of this one—maybe with a notebook, in case you’re chasing that second treasure.
Thanks for reading!
Rob Kelly, Chief Maniac, Daily Doc