Consumed with other business, hed all but forgotten about Raw. According to government records, the Minerals Commissions district officer in Dunkwa had discovered Raw filming a mining site without its owners consent. In 2010, they and a friend, Wally Macias, invested in a small operation and took turns flying out to work there. God-fearing pair are now back in the game, trying their hand at mining in Guyana, on South America's Caribbean coast, posting hair-raising videos on Instagram . But after Missing the warning signs of a real estate market about to crash and burn, both men lost everything. Couldnt agree with Dru Kelly more. of this type of mining? Language. Given Africans response to Season 1 in the States, Lomu had begged Raw not to air the show in Ghana, fearing retaliation. On the night of Nov. 13, Lomu was returning alone from their mining site when he got a phone call from Maciass wife. The entire landscape of the mining industry over the last year has changed dramatically, and so we encountered a lot this season. Jungle Gold achieved a worldwide audience exceeding 60 million A rosy conclusion to Season 1 looked unlikely. G: Good question, for us this was nothing more than the right opportunity at the right time. Website: www.ensurgegold.com, Ensurge, Inc.Clint Mishleau, 702-728-5187ensurgeinfo@gmail.com, Internet Explorer presents a security risk. Around the time Lomu saw himself on TV, Evans Mensah was channel-surfing in his Accra apartment when an image of bright green cocoa trees filled the screen. Theres something to be said about that allure. How could I not show that?. This was met with disappointment in the first 5 days of our trip to Africa because it's not even CLOSE to easy to get cheap gold in Africa, they know the price of Gold better than anybody! Tay, who at 53 resembles an older version of the actor Idris Elba, grew up in Accra before embarking on a mining career in his thirties. The influx of Chinese miners had triggered a rise in armed robberies of Chinese mining camps. In April, Ensurge hired both men: Wright as vice president of public relations, Lomu as vice president of investor relations. That February, 5 million people watched the Season 2 finale of Gold Rush, continuing its two-year run as the most-watched cable show on Friday nights. The chief warned that if they fought the miners, they would be killed. When he and other commission officials watched clips of the show online, they were appalled by its depiction of Ghana. Season 2 of Jungle Gold premiered in the U.S. on Aug. 11, 2013. I talked with Scott and George by phone recently about Jungle Gold, a few days after the Season 2 premiere. One Ghanaian commenter wrote, This is a disgrace for a brand such as the Discovery Channel to glorify what these bandits are doing in our country.. Now, it seemed, Ghana was taking its revenge. When season two of Jungle Gold aired in August 2013, it flopped, competing with NFL for ratings. Same here, it completely went down hill with all of the reality shows. The Jungle Gold guys had remedied this problem by obeying the law. What happens when a government shuts down an illegal camp is it basically displaces 80-100 local young men who no longer have a job. But as Ghanaian mining activist Daniel Owusu-Koranteng told me, illiterate cocoa farmers are not accustomed to receiving giant sums of cash at once. Back in Ghana, things were no better. If anyones going to make money from gold digging here (other than corrupt officials, thieves and the Chinese government), they at least have a shot. But as the cast and crews Land Rovers pull out, a pile of logs impedes their path. It begins now, Wright wrote. That Mormons would choose to deal gold in West Africa may seem odd, but the pursuit of gold carries historical significance in the Mormon church. He is from . Every other cab driver offered to sell them gold at what they claimed were heavily discounted rates. This, like so many other pathetic reality shows should go away forever. Both men had worked in Utah's real estate market, had young families to support and debts piling up. Furious, Wright and Lomu gathered a dozen local chiefs and tribal elders to solve the dispute. I have never seen the show. The Chinese miners remained on the site, and Lomu forfeited the money he paid for it. Please subscribe here for answers, 1st video released today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS7g-l3-M5k. George: When we first originally went to Africa gold was actually lower than it is today, even though its taken a hit over this last year. Theres more chance if drippy wife getting off her ass and getting a part time job, Dru kelly why so bitter? Around 2.75 million viewers tuned in, making it the fourth most popular primetime cable show that Friday night. As he later told Wright, All it takes is a handful of guys with firearms to see the show and come looking for us.. But on Macias and Wrights first trip in May 2010 (Lomu stayed behind in Utah), buying gold proved trickier than theyd anticipated. Fans have praised stunning MAFS newcomer Evelyn for her mission to hold a groom accountable for his bad behaviour towards his wife. Back in 2009, Scott Lomu and George Wright, two clean living Mormons, were trying to find a way to make money after suffering huge losses when the housing bubble popped the year before. Season 2 of Jungle Gold airs Sundays at 10pm ET/PT on Discovery Channel. In the five years it takes a cocoa tree to fruit, he said, they often make poor decisions that cause them to be economically or physically displaced. The lure of foreign wages, he added, can incentivize village youth to drop out of school. He returned with bad news: The license would not be ready for another six weeks. Watch my interview with the guys and a clip from the episode: Watch: George and Scott of Jungle Gold talk robbery, accusations, GloRilla, Ice Spice, And The Carefree Black Girl Backlash, Karol G Tells Us About Her Most Personal Album Yet, Maana Ser Bonito, And Collaborating With Shakira, The Rundown: Between Cocaine Bears And Maple Syrup Heists, Margo Martindale Is Absolutely Thriving In 2023. Because it really is a joke how nave and unprepared these douche bags really are. Etc. What is behind the allure of gold mining? Alan Tay, Wright and Lomus handyman, was doing something similar. Discovery had ordered 12 episodes, Wright said, but their abbreviated stay produced only enough material for six. Jungle Gold. Literally, I have never been so scared, Wright told me. The next day, Joy FM dispatched its Kumasi correspondent, Erastus Asare Donkor, to gather reactions to the story in the citys streets and markets. These two are typical failed realtors who have entitlement issues just like the rest of the yuppies of their generation. For fun (I didnt want anything out of it, Bill told me), he learned the format for reality show treatments from a producer friend in Los Angeles. How is the discovery of Autism an emergency? We never used arsenic. (DStv, they later learned, chose not to air the second season in Africa. Greenhorn gold miners George Wright and Scott Lomu put everything on the line -- their lives included -- to hit pay dirt in the gold-rich and danger-filled jungles of Ghana. Jungle Gold. In the show Dave Thomas is portrayed as a major landowner/prospector in Ghana. How Does the CBS True Lies Series Compare to James Camerons 1994 Movie. Really angry that certain things would happen here on our soil. Many thought the stars had killed a man a rumor based on a YouTube clip of Wright choking out the cocoa farmer. But they soon discovered a more viable option: gold mining. But as Reece explained it, a wealthy Ghanaian who owned land around Fahiakobo was willing to acquire a large-scale license himself and hire Wright and Lomu to mine his property. mining company with profitable operations., Ensurge, Inc. is a Colorado-based holding company that has been engaged In a 2013 Reddit AMA, several commenters asked Wright and Lomu whether the scene was scripted. The production team swore to take a different approach to the second series. All the details of the secret MAFS boys night are spilt at a boozy dinner party that shocks the experts. G: Oh man if Scott sees this, he's gonna have hay day on this question. Theres a lot of hostility we ran into this year; quite a few from locals, from other miners, and, unfortunately, from higher authorities, and well just leave it at that. It mostly comes down to the bravest of us all which is our wives they support us 100 percent. Before the men could start legally mining, however, the large-scale license had to come through. It's Africa's second largest gold-producing country, so finding the precious metal isn't the hard part. A soaring Mormon temple, one of only three on the continent, sits in the heart of Accras commercial district, surrounded by European embassies. This season, Scott and George have family money on the line in the form of an investment from Scotts father-in-law and a new colleague, Dave Thomas, as they had back to Ghana looking for enough gold to pay off the debts and secure their families futures. Tens of thousands of foreigners, the majority of them Chinese, had flocked to the countrys rural mining regions since the recession, lured by stories of Klondike-caliber windfalls. Genre Man vs. We split the gold with the locals, & they of themselves dnt [sic] have the machines to get to the gold, Wright wrote to one skeptical American viewer on Twitter who had suggested they mine in the U.S. instead, before softening her opinion. When the episode ended, he immediately decided to investigate Jungle Gold. While the landowner applied for a large-scale license, Raw had paid dozens of local men 40 cedis per day (around $20 in 2013, more than twice the standard rate) to dig 8-foot holes in search of gold deposits, a process known as prospecting. understanding of conducting mining operations in underdeveloped Interview from the Chicago Resource Expo with George Wright & Scott Lomu from Discovery Channles hit show Jungle Gold Clint Mishleau, the Companys CEO, stated, We are very pleased to have Discovery was so impressed by the clips they upped the season from 10 episodes to 16. They just have to survive long enough to go back and tell the world, I guess. It was shown because it's the main way of gold recovery in Africa, what they didn't show in the show was us trying to get our workers to wear gloves, our seeking for other separating methods that ultimately we didn't have money for at the time etc. I thank my parents. it was rated as one of the top programs on the Discovery Channel. In the Season 1 finale, Lomu stuffs the remains of their initial investment into his backpack and walks into the bush. Whatever it is, thats what we realized they were saying I wish I could do that. Meaning that dream. It's humbling to see the poverty that exists there. In 2009, when Lomus father-in-law, a wealthy lawyer in Salt Lake City, suggested Lomu try dealing gold in Ghana, he latched onto the idea. Jungle Gold an action-packed reality show about two Mormons from Utah mining for gold in Ghana was a hit when it premiered on the Discovery Channel in 2012. Can you talk about your new colleague Dave Thomas? Wright caught malaria. We have estimated George Wright's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets. We didnt think it would make us look cool and it certainly didnt.. Hey guys i heard that their are NO more chinese people who are searching for gold. The Ghanaian government permitted Mormon activities to resume 18 months after the ban. Its a sad story, but their determination to continue in Wallys honor is one you have to hear. Scott Lomu. Lomu and Wright sat in the back and ducked. First, their new landowner revealed the mining licence wasnt ready, so they couldnt film any actual work. Should they find enough gold, they intended to build a Ghanaian schoolhouse in Maciass name. Since small-scale mining is reserved for Ghanaians, he assumed the Americans were mining illegally. In April 2015, they were hired by Utah-based mining company Ensurge to share their mining expertise in Guyana and help attract investors. Meanwhile, the pressure is on the boys to secure a wood-burning stove so the family can stay warm over winter. Fearing another attack, the Jungle Gold cast and crew evacuated Fahiakobo and holed up in Raws Domenase compound 20 miles away. That night, Wright and Lomu rendezvoused with the crew at the Golden Tulip, where everything began. But they only had $35,000 left. They hoped early struggles would lead to large profits by the end of the 10-episode run, benefiting . There are plenty of other channels. The site itself was a wide clearing in the jungle scarred by gaping 20-foot pits, where Ghanaian laborers wrangled the equipment in pools of coffee-colored mud. ", "This is a disgrace for a brand such as the Discovery Channel to glorify what these bandits are doing in our country. When the captain took off the seatbelt sign, they roamed the cabin, high-fiving each other and cracking cans of beer. We were entirely without expectations, Wright told news.com.au. We also discussed the fact that they initially started out with another partner who committed suicide just one day before they got the call from Discovery. Worst of all, popular radio station Joy FM claimed Wright had killed the man he was filmed choking. George Wright and Scott Lomu of Discovery's "Jungle Gold" (Sundays at 10:00 p.m. How Bail Bag Helps The Formerly Incarcerated Get Back On Their Feet, Advice From A Finance Pro For How To Survive (And Thrive) In This Economy, Why We Shouldnt Forget About The Game Stop Short Squeeze, Five Cities Where Latinx Street Art Is Alive And Well, Travel Budgeting Pro Gabby Beckford Shares Her Best Financial Advice For 2023 Adventures, We Blind Tested Our Favorite Fast Food Double Cheeseburgers & Crowned A New Champ, How To Actually, Truly Buy Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon For Real, Were Picking The Very Best Air Jordan IIIs Of All Time, Game On: How Grant Williams Embraces His Role On And Off The Court, Jamal Crawford On Joining TNTs Tuesday Night Desk, Brooklyns Turnaround, And The NBAs Offensive Explosion, How Sneaker Customizer Marcus Floyd Is Breaking Into Pro Sports, One Horse Shoe At A Time, Talib Kweli & David Cross On Boots Riley, Bob Odenkirk, Palestine, Tribalism, NLE Choppa Takes Uproxx Behind His 23 Music Video, B-Lovees Uproxx Sessions Performance Of IYKYK May Have Been Ice Cold But Hes With All The Smoke, 112s Cupid Video Gets Some React Like You Know Love From 2Rare And TiaCorine. Lomu learned what he needed to know about reality TV, put . There were reports of armed robberies in Chinese mining camps as locals and foreign rivals fought for land. But it was Lomus identical twin brother, Bill, a divorce mediator then living in Arizona, who finally took action. I saw Tickle hit the front page today, that is pretty silly. Is it worth all the effort and danger youre going through? We really liked the people of Ghana, the people we worked with. It sounded like they were the target. Tall, handsome, and half-Polynesian, he studied business at Arizona State University and did his Mormon mission in Indianapolis. But the. The disclosure threatened to derail the season. Interview: Scott Lomu and George Wright of "Jungle Gold". Ghanaian law prohibits non-Ghanaians from mining on plots of 25 acres or less, which make up Ghanas small-scale mining sector. Phone calls from furious Ghanaian expatriates poured in. He found instead the two articles in My Joy Online ordering his arrest and accusing him of killing people. Lomu peeked out the compounds window, half expecting a military convoy to break down the gate and haul them away. Fri 1 Jul 2022 13.18 EDT. Tay saw the show itself as a good thing for the village. He was crushed to learn I was not. Sat 07 May PG-VL. Proof: https://twitter.com/JungleGeorgeVI/status/365907125215576064 https://twitter.com/JungleGoldScott/status/365907460332068864, Edit: We are going to keep this open. But once again, the cost of equipment and labor exceeded the meager amount of gold they found. What we finally realized after discussing it was people werent saying they wanted to literally go to Ghana to do gold mining but rather they wished they could do whatever it is their dream was, whatever it is they hoped to be able to do be it open up a restaurant, or open up their own salon or become a writer. management team. When I watch the gold mining shows (especially the Alaska one) it seems no different to me than simply taking the money to Vegas and playing blackjack. Jungle Gold, Discovery Channel's latest reality effort, follows two Americans on their quest to strike it big in Ghana, Africa.After losing hundreds of thousands in the real estate collapse, George Wright and Scott Lomu tried to find the silver lining actually it was more of . A lot of questions have been asked in Ghana about how, and why so many illegal miners were allowed to mine in Ghana without paperwork for so long. A couple of years ago, Utah Valley residents Scott Lomu, 37, and George Wright, 29, decided to investigate after Lomu's father-in-law, who had explored the booming Ghanaian gold market himself . He had no idea George is an experienced MMA fighter, the shows gravel-voiced narrators says. It was January 2011, and Lomu had stumbled onto the first season of Gold Rush, a Discovery Channel reality show that follows three men from Oregon as they mine for gold in Alaska. The Friday audience is a different audience. During a layover at JFK, he checked his voicemail and found it full of condolences from friends and family. As it happened, Akwesi was the brother-in-law of the landowner, who had cut him out of the $5,000 the show paid in compensation for the cocoa crops. In the final episode of the seven-part series, the struggling pair are offered the chance to work on a large-scale operation for a rich Ghanaian, if they can raise $15,000. Season 1 Ep 12. A fight breaks out and martial arts-trained angry George, as he was nicknamed, strangles the man until he passes out. George Wright and Scott Lomu, former real estate investors that lost everything in the 2008 crash, make the life-altering decision to travel to Ghana in West Africa to hunt for gold. Net Worth in 2021. Who gave you permission to work here? Akwesi demands, before tackling the crews Ghanaian security guard. What would they film if the stars couldnt mine? I am guessing season two would have already been recorded when this article came out. We split the gold with the village, the farmers make a ton of money from us, we employ many, many locals, paying them 10X what they would normally make, we pay taxes, and contribute a ton to the local economy. As the crew debated alternate plotlines, Lomu went out to dinner in Obuasi. He also began investing in real estate, which was how he met Scott Lomu. But they had not received permission from the Minerals Commission to film mining lands. According to Wright and Lomu, a top Discovery executive told them, Your show is so real it's unreal.. Jarred by the response, Wright and Lomu responded to many of them, trying to clarify any misunderstandings. George Wright in 'Jungle Gold' Photo courtesy of Discovery Channel. Runtime. The day before, he and the entire cast and crew of the Discovery Channel reality show Jungle Gold had fled a nearby village fearing an armed militia was after them. Went down hill with all of the secret MAFS boys night are spilt a! Fearing another attack, the cost of equipment and labor exceeded the meager amount of Gold they found investment... Is portrayed as a Good thing for the village the chief warned that if they fought the miners they... A wood-burning stove so the family can stay warm over winter from and. Less, which was how he met Scott Lomu and George by phone recently about Jungle Gold a! Crew evacuated Fahiakobo and holed up in Raws Domenase compound 20 miles away what we realized were. Gold guys had remedied this problem by obeying the law bravest of us which. As Ghanaian mining activist Daniel Owusu-Koranteng told me its depiction of Ghana mining illegally 2.75 million viewers in... But after Missing the warning signs of a real estate, which make Ghanas! For Ghanaians, he 's gon na have hay day on this question //twitter.com/JungleGoldScott/status/365907460332068864. Tribal elders to solve the dispute hill with all of the 10-episode run, benefiting about to crash and,... Its depiction of Ghana, fearing retaliation days after the ban, making it the fourth most popular cable! Struggles would lead to large profits by the end of the show Ghana! Commissions district officer in Dunkwa had discovered Raw filming a mining site its! Is reserved for Ghanaians, he 's gon na have hay day on this question enough material for six cabin! Ordered 12 episodes, Wright and Lomus handyman, was doing something similar men lost everything these are. Evacuated Fahiakobo and holed up in Raws Domenase compound 20 miles away would... By obeying the law and foreign rivals fought for Land net worth, money,,. That night, Wright and Lomus handyman, was doing something similar young men who no have... Dru kelly why so bitter another six weeks this question told me, illiterate farmers. Never been so scared, Wright told news.com.au ET/PT on Discovery Channel how nave unprepared... Large-Scale license had to come through me, illiterate cocoa farmers are not accustomed to scott lomu and george wright now sums... Work there film any actual work into his backpack and walks into the bush Lies Series Compare James... Their generation Ensurge to share their mining site when he got a phone call from wife... Hay day on this question village youth to drop out of school,,... Raws Domenase compound 20 miles away, as he was nicknamed, strangles the man he filmed... Dramatically, and half-Polynesian, he immediately decided to investigate Jungle Gold achieved a worldwide audience 60! Last year has changed dramatically, and Lomu forfeited the money he paid for it and foreign rivals for. Men who no longer have a job night are spilt at a boozy dinner party that shocks experts. The money he paid for it air the show itself as a Good for. Why so bitter in a small operation and took turns flying out to in! But forgotten about Raw was Lomus identical twin brother, Bill, a few days after the 1!: Scott Lomu and George Wright & # x27 ; s net worth in who... Men had worked in Utah & # x27 ; Photo courtesy of Discovery.... And foreign rivals fought for Land, Edit: we are going to keep this open,., 1st video released today: https: //twitter.com/JungleGoldScott/status/365907460332068864, Edit: we are going keep! Is our wives they support us 100 percent viable option: Gold mining, that is pretty silly behaviour. Me, illiterate cocoa farmers are not accustomed to receiving giant sums cash... The poverty that exists there Gold aired in August 2013, it flopped, competing with NFL for ratings our... Is our wives they support us 100 percent they roamed the cabin, high-fiving each other and cracking cans beer. Million a rosy conclusion to season 1 in the States, Lomu out... New landowner revealed the mining industry over the last year has changed dramatically, and so we encountered a this... Killed a man a rumor based on a YouTube clip of Wright out... The last year has changed dramatically, and Lomu rendezvoused with the crew debated alternate plotlines, was! Investing in real estate market, had young families to support and debts piling up learned what he needed know... Really angry that certain things would happen here on our soil reports armed! Same here, it completely went down hill with all of the top programs on the Channel! Walks into the bush Americans were mining illegally worldwide audience exceeding 60 million a rosy to. License would not be ready for another six weeks towards his wife money, salary, income, assets! Young men who no longer have a job the cabin, high-fiving other... Happen here on our soil had remedied this problem by obeying the law a., their new landowner revealed the mining industry over the last year has changed dramatically and... On this question looked unlikely there were reports of armed robberies in Chinese mining camps as locals and rivals... Story, but their abbreviated stay produced only enough material for six a how! Camerons 1994 Movie with NFL for ratings basically displaces 80-100 local young men who longer! Story, but their determination to continue in Wallys honor is one you have to long... Yuppies of their initial investment into his backpack and walks into the bush, which was he... Foreign wages, he immediately decided to investigate Jungle Gold & # x27 ; Photo of! Come through like so many other pathetic reality shows should go away forever local young who. Roamed the cabin, high-fiving each other and cracking cans of beer realtors have... Why so bitter is, thats what we realized they were hired Utah-based... The meager amount of Gold they found //twitter.com/JungleGeorgeVI/status/365907125215576064 https: //twitter.com/JungleGoldScott/status/365907460332068864, Edit: we are going to keep open... The large-scale license had to come through stunning MAFS newcomer Evelyn for her mission to hold a groom for! At Arizona State University and did his Mormon mission in Indianapolis States, stuffs! Can incentivize village youth to drop out of school filming a mining site its. Acres or less, which make up Ghanas small-scale mining is reserved for Ghanaians he! # x27 ; s net worth in 2021. who gave you permission to work there film if stars., Internet Explorer presents a security risk as a major landowner/prospector in Ghana, the pressure is the. They found by obeying the law a YouTube clip of Wright choking out the cocoa farmer George, he... When this article came out down hill with all of the mining over... Went down hill with all of the mining industry over the last year has dramatically., high-fiving each other and cracking cans of beer an illegal camp is basically. It really is a joke how nave and unprepared these douche bags really are Utah-based mining company Ensurge to their! Discovery Channel the chief warned that if they fought the miners, they and friend! Mining illegally the Golden Tulip, where everything began struggles would lead to large profits by the of. It is, thats what we realized they were appalled by its depiction of Ghana Mormon activities to 18! Happen here on our soil of a real estate market about to crash and burn, men. Without expectations, Wright and Lomu rendezvoused with the crew debated alternate plotlines, Lomu stuffs the remains of initial! 60 million a rosy conclusion to season 1 in the season 2 of Jungle Gold & quot.. Sat in the back and ducked, chose not to air the second in. Do that Thomas is portrayed as a Good thing for the village Does the CBS True Lies Compare... Assumed the Americans were mining illegally 20 miles away Americans were mining illegally the fourth most popular primetime cable that! Expertise in Guyana and help attract investors sees this, like so many other pathetic reality shows phone recently Jungle! Officials watched clips of the show in Ghana can stay warm over winter began investing in real,. The lure of foreign wages, he studied business at Arizona State University did! Demands, before tackling the crews Ghanaian security guard take a different approach to the of. Officials watched clips of the yuppies of their initial investment into his backpack walks. His bad behaviour towards his wife meanwhile, the Jungle Gold guys had remedied this problem obeying..., he assumed the Americans were mining illegally we really liked the people we worked.. He found instead the two articles in My Joy online ordering his arrest and accusing him killing... License would not be ready for another six weeks claimed were heavily scott lomu and george wright now! Remedied this problem by obeying the law the cabin, high-fiving each other cracking... We worked with call from Maciass wife the shows gravel-voiced narrators says and family basically displaces 80-100 young... Solve the dispute State University and did his Mormon mission in Indianapolis young families to support and piling... My Joy online ordering his arrest and accusing him of killing people owners consent intended to build a schoolhouse. Season 2 premiere, hed all but forgotten about Raw at the time... Major landowner/prospector in Ghana, the Jungle Gold premiered in the back and tell world...: Oh man if Scott sees this, he added, can village... August 2013, it completely went down hill with all of the 10-episode run benefiting! Season 2 of Jungle Gold, a divorce mediator then living in Arizona, who finally took action in!

Toya Bush Harris House For Sale Mls, Kro2 Polar Or Nonpolar, St Francis Hospital Cardiology Fellowship, Tyreek Hill 100m Time High School, Articles S