According to recently filed court documents; millions of ounces of gold have been removed from central bank vaults and physically sold into the spot market, driving down the spot price and yielding billions in proceeds. In 1983, a small company with a single mine and some interesting political connections started some dangerous maneuvers; Barrick has since become the world's second largest gold producer with 6.1 million ounces of gold mined in 2001. In the late 1980s, Barrick acquired private claims to the Goldstrike property, located on federal land in Nevada. A segment in my book, "The Secret World of Money," covered this dubious process by which mining was prevented.

Many have tried to secure patents for mining Federal lands, and failed. However, soon after Barrick acquired this property, the Bureau of Land Management instituted a pilot program for the expedited processing of patents in Nevada. Barrick's patents were approved at record speed. For less than $10,000, Barrick obtained rights to gold deposits worth more than $10 billion. Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt said, "These folks stole it fair and square". As North America's largest gold mine was being "stolen" from the American public, Barrick and JP Morgan began an off-the-books program that would allow them to suppress the price of gold.

This is much worse than Enron. Barrick, and JP Morgan have flooded the market with "borrowed" Reserve Bank gold that belongs in the public trust. Barrick engaged JP Morgan to "lease" gold from the vaults of a central bank, then sold this borrowed gold into the world's market. This involves the physical removal of gold; it is not a paper transaction. The money from the sale of the borrowed gold is deposited in the bank, where it earns interest which Barrick and JP split. Barrick agrees to repay the gold at some point in the future, but it can postpone the date on which it must provide the gold to the bullion banks for 10-to-15 years, at Barrick's sole discretion.

This blatant price manipulation could not take place without the aid of JP Morgan. They hold the keys to the vaults of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, of which JP Morgan is a part owner! Through this connection and others, Barrick is allowed to borrow the people's monetary gold in vast quantities and sell it. Further fortifying this unholy alliance is the fact that such spot deferred contracts prevents the bullion banks from making margin calls. This combination of a long delivery date and vast gold reserves in the world's central banks, have created a perfect platform from which to engage in price manipulation in favor of a strong dollar and weak gold.

However, the other shoe must eventually drop. Unlike the paper money arena, the quantities of gold are finite. The price was driven down to $245 per oz. during these maneuvers. It has recently risen to $350, costing Barrick and JP Morgan millions of dollars in potential profits.

What's at risk here? Only the gold reserves of an entire nation.